We often underestimate how easily our brain can latch onto a single activity, and sometimes that fixation becomes so strong that it reshapes how we view the world. Back in the mid-80s, when Tetris was all the rage, people started noticing odd aftereffects from their marathon gaming sessions. It wasn’t just about enjoying colorful bricks on a screen. Players reported noticing a tendency to mentally organize real-world objects—windows, doors, cereal boxes—as if they were Tetris blocks, reflecting the game's influence on their cognitive processes. It wasn’t just about enjoying colorful bricks on a screen. Players found themselves mentally arranging real-world objects into neat rows—windows, doors, cereal boxes—almost like a bizarre optical illusion that seeped into everyday life. Psychologists were intrigued and conducted observations: participants who played Tetris for hours claimed they couldn’t stand messy shelves at the grocery store and had vivid dreams of stacking blocks. A few even reported seeing shapes descending from the sky. Some individuals reported more vivid manifestations, such as Tetris-like imagery in their dreams or even brief visual afterimages. This bizarre immersion eventually gained a name: the Tetris effect, a phenomenon tied to the way our mind hones in on whatever we’re doing intensely and begins to rearrange the rest of reality around it.

Neuroimaging studies have explored the neural correlates of the Tetris effect, demonstrating changes in brain activity and connectivity after playing the game. These findings highlight the brain's neuroplasticity—its ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life in response to experience and learning. MRI research in 1994 added another layer to our understanding. After several hours of Tetris, a thickening of gray matter showed up, hinting that the brain was reorganizing itself in response to this one repetitive task. Neuroscientists spoke of neuroplasticity: the mind constantly reconfigures to handle whatever it deems crucial for survival. Repeated engagement in an activity like Tetris can lead to changes in neural processing that influence how we perceive and interact with the world, leading to a tendency to perceive situations as puzzles to be solved. If you spend day and night stacking blocks, your subconscious concludes it’s an essential skill—so it starts to perceive everything as a puzzle to be solved. When no real blocks are at hand, the imagination kicks in, creating hallucinations or conjuring Tetris-like dreams. From a psychological standpoint, it’s a vivid reminder that fixation can narrow our worldview. We get stuck on a single pursuit, at times losing sight of other options.

The Einstellung effect (also known as the set effect), demonstrated in Luchins' water jar problem, illustrates how prior experience can bias problem-solving. For example, a therapist might primarily consider pharmacological interventions, a surgeon might favor surgical solutions, a wealthy person might opt for replacing a problem with a purchase, and a soldier might default to a conflict-oriented approach. These "go-to" solutions become more than just habits; they can limit the consideration of alternative approaches. Further studies revealed this effect doesn’t just apply to video games. People skilled in one profession—be it medicine, car repair, or even the military—tend to see the world through a single lens. The Lachins effect is a classic example: a therapist prescribes pills, a surgeon wants to cut, a wealthy person simply buys a new replacement, and a soldier gears up for conflict. Their “go-to” solutions become more than just habits; they become the only paths visible. Similar attentional biases are also at play in the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon (also known as the frequency illusion), where once we focus on something—perhaps a particular car model or a new word—we suddenly seem to encounter it everywhere. This is due to increased attention and selective perception, rather than applying a single solution to diverse problems. The same principle underpins everyday biases like the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, where once we focus on something—maybe a certain car brand or a specific idea—we see it everywhere, even where it’s barely relevant. Our psyche filters out other details and zooms in on that one theme, reinforcing our newly formed belief.

This loop can spiral into negative thinking as well. People who immerse themselves in grim headlines (doomscrolling) begin seeing threats, disasters, and enemies on every corner. The more gruesome stories they consume, the more distorted their reality grows—leading to stress, neurosis, and an unbalanced perspective. Psychologists advise diluting such content with uplifting information or simply limiting it. By shifting to more constructive reading—science breakthroughs, pet training tips, new tech insights—we remind the brain that not everything is bleak.

There’s also a bright side: if the Tetris effect is inevitable, we might as well turn its power to our advantage. Focus on healthy pursuits or positive interactions, and soon enough, you’ll start spotting helpful opportunities, kind gestures, or encouraging details in your day-to-day environment. Our outlook changes when we decide to emphasize the better parts of life. In relationships, for example, one person might fixate on the idea that everyone is untrustworthy and see only deceit, while another focuses on genuine kindness and sees supportive, caring partners everywhere. While objective reality remains constant, our perception of it is significantly influenced by our attentional focus and the cognitive biases we develop. The difference isn’t objective reality; it’s the lens our brain chooses.

So what does this mean for society? The Tetris effect suggests that a single-minded leader—someone who never consults others—could easily steer a group into a dead end. If the person in charge only trusts one solution, or sees one problem over and over, major oversights are bound to happen. Collaborative decision-making acts as a safety net. Different perspectives broaden the horizon, countering the limited tunnel vision that arises from any singular obsession. Strict hierarchies or domineering relationships often fail because they ignore the checks and balances that multiple viewpoints can bring.

Ultimately, the Tetris effect teaches us that while we can’t completely avoid fixating on certain tasks or ideas, we can steer our attention more consciously. We can choose what to focus on and shape our inner world accordingly. If you suspect you’re seeing every obstacle as a Tetris block—or every person as a potential threat—maybe it’s time to rotate your perspective, step back, and remember there’s a whole array of choices out there. Your brain might be exceptionally good at rearranging blocks, but it’s also quite adaptable at letting in a broader view—once you give it the chance.