The tetris effect

The activities we do in our daily lives have the power to change our thinking. The more time we spend on something, the more it influences the way we see the world. Thus, in some cases, This influence can be very great. This is the case of what is known as the Tetris effect.

The Tetris effect takes its name from the well-known computer game. In it, people have to place different figures made up of four cubes so that there are no gaps between them. It is one of the most addictive video games of all time; People of all ages have dedicated hundreds of hours to it. And, according to some studies, This could have even changed their minds..

In this article you will learn what exactly the Tetris effect is and in what situations it can occur. Although it is not something dangerous, Yes, it can tell us a lot about how the mind works.. Thus, knowing more about this mental phenomenon will help you better understand its influence.

What is the Tetris effect?

Tetris has been one of the most researched video games in history by psychology. The way it is designed has allowed us to learn more about some types of memory, attention and information processing. But, without a doubt, one of its most interesting effects It is what affects the way we perceive the world.

Several investigations have shown that Playing Tetris for a long time can modify our thoughts, mental images and dreams. The people who dedicated a lot of time to this activity were the center of its influence. Thus, many ended up perceiving the world in a way similar to the video game.

Thus, frequent Tetris players found themselves wondering how to fit different objects into the real world. For example, they looked for ways to better organize supermarket shelves or tried to visualize how different buildings would fit if they could be put together. And if that was not enough, Sometimes they had hallucinations in which they saw imaginary shapes falling from the sky.

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For others, the Tetris effect caused them to see these pieces in dreams or even, when closing their eyes, in the form of hypnagogic images. None of these symptoms caused problems for those affected. However, Researchers were interested in how a simple game can change our perception.

Why does this effect occur?

For some psychologists, the Tetris effect is nothing more than a matter of habit. Some players could dedicate many hours to this hobby. Therefore, Your mind would have become accustomed to seeing the world in the form of figures that can be fitted together.. In this sense, it would be nothing more than a special type of procedural memory.

On the other hand, several studies that used magnetic resonance imaging to scan the brain found that Tetris has a direct effect on the configuration of this organ. Thus, for example, an experiment carried out in 1994 by Okagaki and Frensch showed that Playing 12 sessions of 30 minutes each could make the brain’s gray matter denser.

This component of the brain is directly related to intelligence, cognitive flexibility and other abilities. Therefore, it was concluded that Playing Tetris could help improve our mental skills. In this sense, the Tetris Effect would be something very positive for the people who are under its influence.

Other cases of Tetris effect

Changing the way we think and perceive the world doesn’t just happen by playing this video game. On the contrary, There are many activities capable of altering the way we process information.

Thus, some activities such as assembling a Rubik’s cube at full speed (something known as speedcubing) or using programming languages can modify our visual perception or the way we use logic, respectively. The same goes for mathematics: at an advanced level, They can change the way those who study it understand reality..

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This effect can even involve other senses. Thus, the phenomenon known as “sea legs” (the feeling when you arrive on land after a boat trip that everything is rocking) would also be a type of Tetris Effect. The truth is that research on this topic has only just begun. However, the discovery of this effect gives us an idea about the true potential of our brain.