Gamified Social Capital Networks for Poverty Resilience

Hammler et al. (2022) piloted gamification for multidimensional poverty in Paraguay but focused on individual behaviors. This idea scales gamification to network-level social capital building. Participants earn points/rewards for (1) sharing resources (e.g., tools, childcare), (2) attending community workshops, or (3) joining skill-exchange groups. The RCT compares gamified vs. non-gamified villages on metrics like social network density, shock absorption (e.g., job loss recovery), and collective action (e.g., advocacy). Unlike Li et al.'s (2023) finding that TPA boosted material capital but not human capital, this targets social capital as a resilience mechanism. The innovation bridges behavioral design with sustainable livelihood theory, potentially creating a low-cost, scalable antidote to the "social isolation" trap in poverty.

References:

1. Effects of Targeted Poverty Alleviation on the Sustainable Livelihood of Poor Farmers. Xuechao Li, Yaxuan Luo, Huijuan Wang (2023). Sustainability.
2. Using gamification in development interventions: Evidence from a multidimensional poverty alleviation initiative in rural Paraguay. K. Hammler, Agnessa Spanellis, A. Rentizelas (2022). Local Development & Society.