The Super Mario effect! — Learn while you Play👾
Yes, says Mark Rober, a popular YouTuber, and former NASA engineer. His fifteen-minute TEDxTalk, entitled; “The Super Mario Effect — Tricking Your Brain into Learning More” justifies it pretty well.
He begins by sharing information from a human behavior experiment he conducted earlier that intrigued his curiosity to find out the best way to conceptualize a learning curve.
What is the Super Mario Effect?
Every time you play the game, you learn something new as you try to progress through the levels to save Princess Peach. The goal is to study the game, modify your tactics, navigate more effectively, and attempt to save the princess. In other words, there is no genuine shame or fear of failing along the way; the delight comes in beating the game and winning.
Master the reframe
“The trick to learning more and having more success is finding the right way to frame the learning process.”
The Super Mario Effect is effective because it has mastered the reframe technique, which has proven to be a helpful tactic for kids. By implementing this strategy, the unpleasant or anxiety-inducing ideas transform into engaging and intriguing alternatives that aren’t stressful.
This form of “life gamification,” according to Rober, can be beneficial. Treating concerns like video games helps to recast them in a positive way, rather than a negative way, making learning naturally entertaining because there is no fear of failing.
Focus on the prize
“The focus and obsession are about beating the game, not about how dumb you might look. And as a direct result of that attitude — of learning from but not being focused on the failures — we got really good and we learned a tonne in a really short amount of time. “
“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey,” is a phrase that The Super Mario Effect challenged. Toddlers focus on the thrill a game brings and not the stress it causes. When you’re focused on the prize, the process feels lighter and your focus is just on the prize. Rober also says that focusing on the princess and not the pits can trick your brain into learning more.
Take the Focus Off Failure
“By reframing the learning process, the fear of failure is often taken off the table and learning comes more naturally.”
The best part about The Super Mario Effect is that it takes away the fear of losing off the table. It encourages a growth mindset. It believes challenges make a game interesting, which opens room for improvisation.
