Connections, Wordle, and many more. What is it with the sudden popularity of online puzzle games? Is our obsession with puzzle games just a fun pastime or more about giving our brains an intense workout? By Vihaan Photo by Nils Huenerfuerst on Unsplash In 2023 the New York Times reported that their brain games received over 8,000,000,000 plays. The most popular game was Wordle which accounted for more than half the total number of plays. Every day across social media content creators share their respective scores in Wordle, news companies scramble to release daily hints for the Connections, students waste time trying to unscramble the letters of the Spelling Bee, and the timer ticks as people fill out the mini crossword puzzle. The New York Times has gained an unexpected monopoly over all of these online puzzle games. Yet the question arises as to why these games have become so popular in the first place. Do they have any effect on our brains? It seems as though we have developed a need to be doing something at all times and maximizing the use of our brains. Some might think that this is what prompted the rapid success of brain puzzles. Well, the success of these games might be attributed to a need for stimulation; however, one must not overlook other neurological reasons. A noteworthy aspect of these games is that many believe that they challenge our brains and push us to think harder and there is research to support this claim. The Independent asked acclaimed Neurology expert Dr Emer MacSweeney about this very topic and she said that playing puzzle games including Wordle does in fact have some neurological benefits. This is due to the cognitive stimulation that stems from such games. By playing them you can increase your critical thinking skills. Additionally, they also boost memory retention as research has shown that Crossword and Sudoku players have seen a decline in memory loss. Connections to increased focus have also been found. This all ties into the science of Brain Health which includes neurological stimulating activities that aside from games like Wordle can encompass learning new skills such as a language. In short, it does seem as if the perceived benefits of playing these games is more than just hype. The other significant reason for these games’ popularity is that there is a finite supply of them. You can not solve four different Connections or use another letter combination for the Spelling Bee; they come in limited amounts. This forces users to have to come back again if they want another chance to solve it or wish to continue their streak. Psychologist Lee Chambers told Business Insider that the brain enjoys the stimulation that comes from solving these puzzle games. For instance, there is a considerable dopamine hit that comes from finding the solution to the Wordle. This is what attracts users to keep on playing the game for weeks on end. If you can’t solve the Connections on Monday you can not simply go again. You must wait until Tuesday to get the satisfaction of solving it. Furthermore, these puzzles are not endless video games. They each have an attainable finish line which is another thing players like about it. In a different vein, puzzle games arguably produce a calming effect when compared to the extreme overstimulation that is associated with most video games and social media. All of this equates to the New York Times having found a way to get traffic onto their website and stay incredibly relevant in an era when traditional news sources are being sidelined. In the digital society that we all live in to varying degrees, these games provide an intellectual excuse for being on a screen. The New York Times games collection has provided the youth of today with a pastime that does not involve mindless scrolling but rather something focussing and thought-provoking. Perhaps now you know why you have an itch to figure out the Wordle and preserve your 100 percent record. Or maybe when you have nothing to do you will try and sort 16 words into four groups of four in Connections. No matter which path you are on, it is more than likely that after you finish today you will be logging in again tomorrow.
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Raise your hand if you have ever opened Netflix and scrolled and scrolled, looking for something to watch. You couldn’t find anything, and as soon as you notice, 20 minutes have passed. You are overwhelmed from looking, and you haven’t even chosen something you like. Reporting by Leonor Don’t worry, it isn’t just you. This is a global struggle that every single individual around you has for sure experienced. What you experienced in those moments is called the paradox of choice. This latest concern in the modern world is caused by an overabundance of options available to us today - when you have so many options, it becomes overwhelming to choose. This isn't an issue that is spoken about enough, although it should be. Psychologist Barry Schwartz, wrote a book called The Paradox of Choice, which talks about choices that individuals face in almost every area of their lives. This book debunks the myth that more choices are better to make customers satisfied; it actually makes their lives harder by causing them to think harder. Things didn’t used to be this way. There didn’t used to be this many choices. There are two primary reasons for this change in our society: economic globalization and the internet, both of which have caused an exponential growth in the choices available to us. Global citizens are now more interconnected and dependent on one another due to globalization. It has allowed us to have connections from all around the world. Just decades ago, we could only choose between the amount of things that were available to us within our city or country. Today, we can choose things from all around the world. It’s a phenomenon. For example, on Netflix there are series from all around the globe, such as: Outer Banks from the United States, One of Us is Lying from New Zealand, Riverdale from Colombia, Squid Games from South Korea etc. Not only that but also things like fruit. Fruit used to be seasonal, but now you can buy any fruit at any season because they are exported. Trade and technology have changed our world dramatically. Most organizations operate on an international scale. If I want something and it isn’t in my country, I’ll buy it from somewhere else, then import it. This can happen thanks to the internet; an unlimited source that’s easily available for us today. We can enter a store online, choose from the many things available, and then import them to our location. The Internet is open 24/7. We can buy whatever, whenever we want. Isn’t that amazing? It is amazing until it reaches a certain point where it isn’t. For some, this topic remaining unspoken is beneficial; for others, the silence tears them apart. This is mainly the contrast between companies and consumers. The area in our world where there's the most choice is in the world of marketing. Netflix wants you to stay on the platform for as long as possible. Stores want you to buy as many things as possible. Apps want to be downloaded as much as possible… The internet and globalization have brought marketing to a whole other level that seems to be beneficial to consumers. But is it really? If we think about it, it’s a self-serving act from sellers, for giving us all these choices and putting us in the spot to choose. One of the reasons a choice can go from a blessing to a burden is as the number of choices expand, so does the amount of work necessary to make a smart decision. According to behavioral scientists, making decisions is the most common consumer experience. Neuroscience research has shown us that decision making can really damage our mental health, mostly if we aren’t managing this process well. They say the process of decision making always begins with us being intentional and asking ourselves the question: “What do I want?” This 4 word question seems simple and clear, however answering this question is no simple task. Decision difficulty can happen due to three key factors: preference uncertainty, decision goal undefined, and lack of trust in ourselves to make what we believe to be the right decision. Then, either we are satisfied with our choice, or we aren’t. Mishandled tasks of decision making can be followed by: regret, constant switching, and postponing the decision. Anxiety tricks us into believing there will be a right and wrong choice. But, when faced with a difficult choice, there is a strong chance that neither option will be the wrong one. The study of consumer psychology has shown that sometimes people like to have lots of options, rather than just a few; mainly if those few options don’t meet their expectations. However, is that always the best for us? Overload is valued so much more compared to deprivation. We live in a consumerist era, and we believe that sometimes the number of options isn’t enough to meet our basic needs, causing us to desire more to choose from. Overall, it’s hard to make a final decision saying we need to reduce, maintain, or increase the amount of options we have these days. Everyone comes from different places and everyone has different preferences and everyone has different experiences. Therefore, how can we deal with this problem the same way? The answer is we don’t - we don’t deal with things the same way. What needs to change isn’t around us, it’s in us. If choice overload affects us, we need to make our own decisions that will best benefit ourselves. We all know that getting rid of the internet isn’t a solution because of our dependency on it today. Consequently, choices might not get any more limited, but we need to take control and limit them ourselves, by improving our ability to filter. We will need to find a way to navigate this space rather than rejecting it.
So next time you open Netflix, be intentional about what you want to watch. This means making a choice in advance, which will save you a lot of time, as well as mental energy. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, make sure not to overload yourself with options. And most importantly, trust in yourself to choose a movie or series that you will enjoy watching. Finally, all you have to do is enjoy the movie or series you choose to watch. And enjoy knowing that you chose not to be overwhelmed and uncertain. Works cited "The Paradox of Choice; Entertainment." The Economist, vol. 422, no. 9027, 11 Feb. 2017, p. 12(US). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A480519766/OVIC?u=aismozam&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=64a2cd11. Accessed 18 Feb. 2023. Schwartz, Barry. "Consumer Vertigo." Reason, vol. 37, no. 5, Oct. 2005, p. 10. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A136120516/OVIC?u=aismozam&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=e1b59684. Accessed 18 Feb. 2023. Ward, Andrew. “The Paradox of Choice.” The Decision Lab, 2021, https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/economics/the-paradox-of-choice. Accessed 22 February 2023. If it were up to the students they would have their headphones in all classes, but are they doing themselves any good? Reporting by Atharv It is widely known that music heightens your mood and is considered a valuable tool by students. But are they slacking off or actually making a smart choice? In this dive into how music can elevate your academic performance, we explore some studies and opinions and give you our honest opinion. It is important to bear in mind, however, that the research is not conclusive and may have different effects on different people. A study conducted in 2017 suggests that background music can enhance our cognitive abilities including learning, memory and concentration. Simply listening to music engages a complex network within the brain. These parts include: the auditory cortex, primary motor cortex and cerebellum. Music, as it seems, has the power to activate different parts of the brain. Mr Allen, secondary music teacher, also seems to be in favor of music, saying that “music is a form of relaxation and being relaxed helps you study.” Or as student Dakshu believes: ”Although distracting at times, the right kind of music can enable new levels of focus”. Music’s effect on the brain has been a topic of fascination upon students for decades, but now thanks to neuroscience we can see in much more nuanced ways how we respond to musical stimulation.
In a 1996 study, it was found that music has a positive effect on recalling verbal material. The rhythm of music, even without any musical accompaniment, can enhance the recall of text. A 2010 study involving college students later found that listening to Mozart’s symphonies increased the speed of spatial processing and accuracy in linguistic processing. Another study carried out in 2015 found that listening to Mozart’s Sonata for 2 pianos in D major increased brain wave activity linked to memory, cognition in healthy adults and elderly. It seems essential to note that choosing the right tune matters significantly. A 2021 article highlights that multiple factors contribute to whether music improves focus while studying. Some of these factors include: genre, tempo, age of person, complexity of task and personal preference. Opting on uplifting music can enhance your brain’s cognitive functioning whilst other tunes may have opposite effects. So, by all means get your headphones in and flow with the tune but take note of whether the music is actually helping you or not. With new developments in neuroscience we will discover more about this topic but for now it’s important to understand what works best for you and not to reject anything outright. All in all, it’s about getting to know your own mind and being honest with yourself about what truly helps you and what doesn’t. In other words, learning to flow with your own music. |
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