It’s Not Trivial … Knowing Obscure Facts Is Good for Our Mental Health

It’s Not Trivial … Knowing Obscure Facts Is Good for Our Mental Health

It can be quite satisfying and doesn’t have many downsides.That’s how psychologists describe the mental health benefits of trivia.

The way people play trivia games continues to evolve whether it’s folks enjoying Trivial Pursuit at home or attending a pub trivia night.

But the basic premise remains the same: People enjoy the thrill of providing correct answers to questions about lesser-known facts.

“You get a rush or a neuroreward signal or a dopamine burst from winning,” John Kounios, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the doctoral program in applied cognitive and brain sciences at Drexel University in Pennsylvania, told Healthline. “I think whenever you’re challenged with a trivia question and you happen to know it, you get a rush. It’s sort of like gambling.”

He said the benefits can also be similar to those of playing a video game.

However, unlike gambling and even video games, Kounios says trivia is generally not a habit that’s a problem.

“I don’t think there are any pitfalls,” he said. “Like anything else that’s fun, it takes up time.”

Those who like to play

Sarah Kishler, 42, a librarian in California, loves trivia games and enjoys attending a monthly pub trivia night in which a team of librarians participates.

“Learning facts so that I can get better at trivia is definitely a passion of mine,” she told Healthline. “Getting a question right is definitely very satisfying to me.”

Over the past 10 years or so, pub trivia nights that are popular in the United Kingdom appear to have grown in the United States.

People like Kishler enjoy getting to interact with people at these events, especially compared to electronic trivia games.

She finds that doing well at trivia games gives her “a feeling of validation” and increases her self-esteem.

“I love general knowledge, geography, literature, music, science trivia,” she said. “I just love to accumulate knowledge. I like the exercise that it gives my brain and memory.”

Read More : healthline