The Tetris Effect: How Games Affect Our Psyche

by

You might be familiar with the concept known as the “Tetris effect”: Noticing grid-like patterns when shopping, organizing items in your luggage, or even experiencing similar shapes in your dreams following extended play sessions of the game.

Although Jeffrey Goldsmith was the one who first used the term in 1994, someone else is generally recognized as the discovers of this widely-known syndrome. A study has significantly altered our understanding of memory disorders. If you’ve caught a glimpse of the game’s trailer with the same title, you may have a vague idea of what it entails; however, there are many more intriguing aspects to explore about the Tetris effect.

Study While Sleeping

Robert Stickgold is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, with a focus on studying sleep, particularly dreams. In collaboration with his colleagues, he spearheaded a study in 1999 that demonstrated that individuals who slept for six hours or more following the learning of new information consistently showed improvement, while those who slept poorly did not show any signs of progress. In 2000, he and his team carried out the renowned study on the “Tetris effect”.

Counting Blocks Instead Of Sheep

After obtaining these findings, they decided to employ the classic video game Tetris for additional research. A variety of participants with varying skill levels were invited to play Tetris over a few days. One particular group in this study consisted of five individuals diagnosed with anterograde amnesia (AA). This group was chosen because it was anticipated that these individuals would need to start fresh every day, as their condition prevents the formation of long-term memories. Sleep typically helps us transition information from short-term to long-term memory, but this is not feasible for people with AA. If you’ve watched the movie Memento, you’ll have a basic understanding of what this condition entails.

Was Everything Just A Dream?

Throughout the research, it was found that 17 out of 27 subjects shared a common dream: Blocks falling, being removed, and making room for new blocks. Interestingly, this phenomenon was discussed by 3 out of 5 patients with amnesia. Various theories have been proposed regarding the development of anterograde amnesia. Stickgold and Dr. Richard J Haier from UC Irvine suggest that amnesia primarily impacts the capacity to learn new things, but does not affect one’s ability to perceive them. In a unique case, a patient was seen to correctly press keys without understanding why she was doing so.

Everything, Yet Nothing Forgotten

An illustrative case in point is Clive Wearing. Due to a traumatic incident, he developed total amnesia, which erased all memories prior to the event. Remarkably, despite this, his favorite pastime is playing the piano. He can’t recall who taught him or where he learned it, but he consistently finds joy in practicing it daily.

Currently, numerous investigations and explorations are underway, stemming from these groundbreaking findings. While the precise influence of video games on our brains remains somewhat mysterious, an increasing number of researchers are intrigued by its implications. Progress in this field is consistently advancing.

It seems like your meticulous organization is a reflection of your preference for symmetry and precision, whether it’s organizing the items in your trunk neatly or arranging shelves in geometrical patterns.

Did you know about this important study? Or have you ever seen blocks in your sleep?

Read More

2025-04-07 19:09