If you were asked to say the printed color of the word below (not the word itself mind you), you’re answer would be immediate. It’s red.
How about this one?
If you’re like most people, you hesitated for just a moment before deciding that the printed color is yellow. This delay in reaction time between congruent (the word “red” printed in the same color) and incongruent (the word blue printed in a different color) stimuli is referred to as the Stroop effect. It’s named after John Ridley Stroop, who first published studies on this strange cognitive quirk in the 1930s.
Every second of our waking lives, we are able to process thousands of simultaneous stimuli and render a coherent picture of the world. Of course, we are not consciously aware of this miracle of cognition, it happens automatically. The interesting thing about the Stroop effect is that it demonstrates, in a very simple way, how two different signals are processed at different speeds.
It seems that we are able to read and process words much faster than we are able to discern and identify colors. In other words, the word information makes its way to our brains before the color information, and the conflicting signals take a moment to untangle. This theory is supported by the fact that reading the actual word printed in a different color is a much easier task.
The card game shown in the video leverages both the Stroop effect, and our tendency to automatically “match” swatches of the same color. It’s one of those “slap the pile” party games a bit like the popular card game Taco, Cat, Goat Cheese, Pizza.
Players take turns flipping cards into the center of the table while quickly saying 2 simple words according to what the card shows. There are also various “slap phrases” where all players race to slap the pile. The funny thing is that people will, to varying degrees, struggle to say the correct 2 words on their turn (even if you’re trying really hard, you can still get crushed by a 10-year-old). There is also a tense delay between noticing that a “slap phrase” card has been played, trusting your brain to fully process the information, and then actually deciding to slap the pile of cards in the center.
If you’d like to pick up a copy, you can follow the Amazon link from my new website Niche Nation Games. If not, then at least you’ll be able to lecture people on the Stroop effect if you ever see Mishy Match being played at a party :)
P.S.
If you follow me on TikTok or Instagram, you may have noticed that I changed my account name from Math Letters to Niche Nation Games. I’ll continue to create and post my classic math videos under the renamed account, but I’ll also have occasional videos showcasing my card games. I’ve always wanted to start a tabletop game company, and I finally decided to do it. I have 5 diverse games for sale at the moment, with more on the way. They’ve been very well received, and I’m quite proud of them. If you buy one, and you’re feeling particularly generous, please consider supporting me with an Amazon review for the game. For better or for worse, the fate of Niche Nation Games (and any new company selling on Amazon for that matter) hinges on Amazon reviews, and they are immensely appreciated.
The Stroop Effect and "the hardest easy game"