But now, scientists have lauded speedcubing, in particular, as not only a popular hobby but one that could have wellbeing benefits too.
Cubing and happiness: what experts say “Speedcubing satisfies the basic psychological need for competence, the feeling of effectiveness and mastery,” explains Dr Beloborodova.
“Awe, beauty, being moved, all these are aesthetic emotions, and experiencing them gives us an extreme sense of happiness,” she says.
“Since speedcubing is a social phenomenon, perhaps the social aspect combines with the puzzle solving to deliver a deeply satisfying experience.”
“Both are essential for overall happiness and speedcubing can contribute to both types of wellbeing,” she says.
Scientists say this old-fashioned pastime can increase your happiness.
Five hours ago.
Gerken, Tom.
Reporter for technology.
Whitehead Harriet.
NBC News.
On a chilly November day, hundreds of people gathered at a Coventry arena that has played host to acts like Oasis, Rihanna, and Harry Styles for a completely different kind of event.
The 500 attendees, some of whom traveled from as far away as Mongolia and Canada, were participating in the Rubik’s UK Championship in “speedcubing,” which is the sport of racing to solve puzzle cubes at exceptionally high speeds.
The arena was set up with rows of tables, and over the course of three days, fifteen events were held. In some cases, the puzzle had to be solved with one hand, and in others, a blindfold was worn. James Alonso, a teenager, won the main event of the tournament by solving the traditional 3×3 cube quickly, averaging 6 points 3 seconds.
Since the 1980s, speedcubing has gained popularity, and Max Park of the United States currently holds the world record for a single solve in that event, clocking in at just 3:13 seconds. Compared to the original speed of the Rubik’s Cube, which was created in 1974 by architecture professor Ernő Rubik and took about a month to solve, this is a far cry.
As of right now, an estimated 412,000 people have participated in speedcubing competitions across the globe. With reported worldwide sales of Rubik’s Cube products reaching $86.6 million (£67 million) in 2023, up 13.5 percent from 2022, the product’s popularity has also grown. In 2021, Spin Master, a multinational toy company based in Canada, purchased the brand. ().
This does not include sales of other brands of puzzle cubes. Some have electronic components with built-in Bluetooth, some are wooden, and some have a variety of vibrant designs.
Scientists have now praised speedcubing in particular as a popular pastime that may also be good for your health.
“Speedcubing provides a special blend of mental challenge, [alongside] social interaction, and individual accomplishment that enhances happiness,” says Polina Beloborodova, a research associate at the Centre for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
And it’s said that this goes much deeper than a fleeting rush.
Experts say that cubing can lead to happiness.
Dr. Beloborodova defines speedcubing as “satisfying the basic psychological need for competence, the feeling of effectiveness and mastery.”. It involves several skills, such as memory, spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and motor coordination.
However, Dr. Julia Christensen, a senior research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Germany, claims that because solving the cube stimulates other emotions, it may also make people happy. “We feel incredibly happy when we experience aesthetic emotions like awe, beauty, and being moved,” she claims.
For instance, these aesthetic feelings can provide life-changing experiences when a move on the cube is exceptionally spectacular or when a pattern is executed correctly. “.”.
A feeling of “flow” has been expressed by some speedcubers as the mental state that the activity can induce.
Dr. Beloborodova states that “this state is achieved when the activity’s difficulty matches your skill level, distractions are minimal, the goals are clear, and feedback is immediate”—all of which are traits of speedcubing.
Ian Scheffler, author of Cracking the Cube, described flow as “almost meditative” after experiencing it himself. You get into a state where you are responding to what the cube is giving you almost instinctively, sort of thinking and not thinking at the same time.
It’s a very fulfilling form of mindfulness—a serene, tranquil state in which you’re totally aware of every detail of the puzzle. “.”.
Dr. Christensen argues that there is a good reason to regularly seek a flow state. According to science, those who regularly experience flow are more in tune, have better mental health, and may even have better physical health.
As she goes on, “when we repeat movements, they become logged or encoded from explicit, effort-full memory systems, and pass into implicit, less effort-full, and procedural memory systems.”.
“I have experienced this,” says Nicholas Archer, a 17-year-old West Yorkshire speedcuber who won the one-handed competition at this year’s UK Championship with an average time of 8.69 seconds. “I definitely don’t have to think about what I’m doing when I’m solving the cube. Nothing is done by hand. “,”.
The social benefits of speedcubing.
“Speedcubing or solving a cube on your own may increase your happiness,” writes Dr. Adil Khan, a neuroscience reader at King’s College London (KCL). However, any advantages might be amplified when paired with the social component.
Perhaps the social component of speedcubing, which is a social phenomenon, combines with the puzzle-solving elements to create an extremely fulfilling experience. “..”.
Jan Hammer’s 13-year-old daughter introduced him to speedcubing, which he began at the age of 44. Since then, he has solved the cube about 10,000 times, but he doesn’t believe he would have remained as enthusiastic if he had been speedcubing by himself.
“It’s great that my daughter and I can support one another while doing this. Joining the cube community has also grown to be a major source of motivation. “.
Children and teenagers are more likely to participate in competitions; competitors as young as six are not unusual. Males also enjoy the activity much more than females do. In contrast to 24,311 women, 221,117 men have participated in World Cube Association competitions.
Notwithstanding demographic differences, Dr. Beloborodova contends that “for those who view speedcubing as a significant part of their life – such as participants in tournaments – it can offer eudemonic happiness, fostering a sense of purpose and meaning through dedication, accomplishment, and community of like-minded people.”.
The two components of happiness that psychologists distinguish are “eudemonic wellbeing,” which is concerned with meaning and purpose in life, and “hedonic wellbeing,” which is associated with emotional experiences.
“Speedcubing can contribute to both types of wellbeing, and both are essential for overall happiness,” she claims. This “contributes to better mental health” over time.
The science of brains and puzzles.
It is unclear, nevertheless, how speedcubing affects the brain and cognitive processes.
According to Dr. Toby Wise, senior research fellow in neuroimaging at King’s College London, the brain experiments with different cube-solving techniques, asking “what might happen if I move the cube in this way?” at this point.
In order to predict which cube configuration will yield the best results, your brain can run through the memory trace it has stored for various configurations. “..”.
Long-term advantages, such as enhanced memory function, are not always the result, though. The reason for this is that, as Dr. Khan explains, the brain is not like a muscle that requires flexing in order to grow.
Some people have long claimed that solving puzzles, such as Sudoku or crosswords, can help prevent dementia or cognitive decline. That being said, this isn’t always true.
According to a 2018 study by the University of Aberdeen and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary that was published in the BMJ, people who engage in intellectual pursuits on a regular basis throughout their lives have higher mental capacities and a “higher cognitive point” from which to decline, but they do not decline more slowly.
Dr. Khan argues that solving puzzles does not enhance your cognitive abilities in areas other than the puzzle itself. “And it most likely doesn’t stop the deterioration of brain function that comes with aging. “.”.
The feeling of escape from hectic modern life is another advantage of speedcubing, according to frequent participants.
According to Dr. Christensen, “having a clear goal you can actually achieve is something we don’t necessarily have in everyday life, and that appeases our brain.”.
Given the abundance of computer games and technological activities available today, this may help to explain why the cube is so well-liked. Mr. Hammer states: “I get more focused and attentive when I pick up the cube. “,”.
He also uses it at work. According to him, “It can help me enter the next meeting with a more structured perspective.”.
“The process of bringing the cube from this chaotic, disordered state—which is always different because there are so many permutations of the puzzle—to the same ordered state is fundamentally something that humans want to be doing,” Mr. Scheffler concurs.
Because the universe is a chaotic place and most things are not ordered, humans have a basic need to bring order out of chaos. “.”.
Credit for the top image: Getty Images.
For the best analysis and knowledge from our top journalists, BBC InDepth is the new home on the web and app. We will provide you with in-depth reporting on the most important topics and novel viewpoints that challenge preconceptions under a distinctive new brand to assist you in making sense of a complicated world. Additionally, we’ll be presenting interesting content from iPlayer and BBC Sounds. We’re starting small but with big ideas, and we’d like to hear your thoughts. Click the button below to share your thoughts.
