OK – I heard this news story on the radio as I was waking up this morning. All I can remember from that early in the morning is that I heard something about researchers finding something positive about Tetris. I was all ready to make a post called “Vindication^2″ but then I read what their findings were, and I don’t like the subject matter as much anymore.
So it turns out researchers think that playing Tetris can help with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are thinking of using this method to help troops coming back from Iraq.
Here is where it gets a little disturbing:
In the study, conducted at Oxford University’s Department of Psychiatry, 40
subjects between age 18 and 47 viewed a 12-minute film that included horrific
images of physical injury and death. After a half-hour break during which
subjects were kept busy filling out forms, 20 of the subjects were set before a
computer screen to play Tetris for 10 minutes. The remaining 20 sat quietly with
nothing to do.Not surprisingly, perhaps, the Tetris players reported fewer flashbacks
to the gruesome scenes of injury and death than did the do-nothings in the
10-minute period of play. But in a daily diary all subjects kept for a week
after the viewing of the film, Tetris players reported fewer flashbacks to the
film’s upsetting content than did the group left to entertain themselves in the
movie’s wake. Tested for PTSD symptoms in the lab a week after watching the
film, the Tetris players showed significantly less evidence of trauma than did
the control group.And yet, the Tetris-playing group’s memories of the events in the film
were perfectly intact, the researchers found. Apparently, they had simply lost
their power to horrify.
So while it’s helpful and kinda cool, I was hoping the story was going to be about how people who play a lot of Tetris have higher IQs, higher income, or a higher chance of developing super powers.
But what this does mean that if you ever find yourself in a disturbing situation, go play Tetris. It will take your mind off things, I guess…
Source: AM news show and this article.
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I call shenanigans. There is nothing that leads me to believe that there is anything unique to Tetris. They could have gotten the same results showing them Tiny Toons reruns or something else. Lame.
The only reason that the people did not find the images so scary is because they are still playing Tetris in their brain while trying to fall asleep after playing for a wicked amount of time.
And by the way, Tetris has helped on more than one occasion in real life situations. Like moving an amazing amount of Ikea furniture in the back of a Pontiac Torrent while still seating four adults (two uncomfortably.)
Like the back of a Volkswagen? Call me Donnie. New Kids on the Block. </mallrats>
I agree with The Wife(R). Tetris can consume your soul more then Mario Bros, Space Harrier, or even Wall Street Kid.
I can’t even believe you’d invoke Wall Street Kid.
Sell 100 shares of Blue Chip! The G/F wants a new car and she won’t marry you unless you get it for her!
What about anything ever makes you think I wouldn’t bring up Wall Street Kid at every possible turn?
I think we should buy more Carnivore Cruise Lines. We can afford it if we sell our YBM, Yapple Computers, and Strayhound Bus stock.