Escape room is a term that refers to a fashion phenomenon in which psychology plays a fundamental role, it is a game in which a group of people locked in a room must find the key to escape behind a series of clues. Them.
In this playful adventure, psychological processes combine with physical activity and social cohesion; In addition, such activities are an excellent example of how teamwork helps solve problems that, if attributed to a single person, could not be solved (or at least within a reasonable time).
- With these tasks.
- We reflect and realize that to progress in our society.
- We must trust each other and collaborate with each other.
“The escape room increases team cohesion and improves communication. “
The escape room is able to dely into a parallel reality that makes us researchers. We started to hear a different story in each room, it only took us a few seconds to become the protagonists of this adventure. Then, all of a sudden and almost without realizing it, we meet our team inside a room with a mission: to leave.
That’s when the game starts, which is to look for an exit before the sixty predefined minutes (usually). The clues are everywhere: under the tables, hidden in books, in drawers with fake backgrounds, etc.
The best way to start playing is to spread tasks among group members and score the dozens of tracks that can be key points as we go.
“The escape room promotes self-confidence, increases self-esteem, promotes self-criticism and stimulates creativity. “
While escape games were originally designed for adults, the participation of children under the age of 14 is allowed as long as they are accompanied by an adult, which is a great opportunity for players of different ages to enjoy a common activity.
Currently, there are already rooms dedicated exclusively to children, with varied themes and successful results.
Escape rooms originate from the first personal computer games, as an alternative to the limited graphics capacity of the first personal computers, interactive fiction games were designed, in which, with a simple still image, an environment, a situation, an interaction with a character was described in writing?
At the end of each exhibition, several options arose that included alternatives for making possible decisions regarding the situation described. Depending on the chosen decision, the game took a different direction.
Many of these interactive fiction games were essentially escape games: you had to make the right decisions in the right order to save your life, princess, escape from prison or kill the villain. These games have evolved over time and may also have lost their essence. under the supremacy of the most dynamic and fantastic games.
However, with the entry into the playful repertoire of mobile games, in which the user’s pleasure exceeds budgets, graphics, duration or price, this game format was recovered, which for its simplicity had been discarded. In 2008, in Japan, Live Escape Games first appeared, i. e. in real theaters.
The first escape game, as we know it today, opened in Budapest (Hungary) in 2011, with Attila Gyurkovic, who created a game known as Parapark, in which a group of people had to find the exit of a room in a limited time.
For the development of the escape game, A. Gyurkovics relied on the theory of flows, by psychologist Mih-ly Cs-kszentmih-lyi.
Flowing, or optimal experience, is a state in which the person is completely engrossed in an activity for his own pleasure and pleasure, during which time passes and actions, thoughts and movements are taken place.
The flow state occurs when there is a balance between the challenges of the task or activity we face and the skills we have for this confrontation.
Flow theory states that if we are involved in an activity for our enjoyment, when there is a balance between our skills and the challenges we face, we enter a state of mind of flow. At this point, time seems to move very fast and ideas flow freely in our minds.
“We’ll get a lot of things if we think nothing is impossible. ” Vince Lombardi-
There are many people who say that they began to sink participating in an escape room, as described in the theory of Csakszentmih-lyi flows, after all, we are talking about alternative leisure spaces that are only intended to provide pleasure to participation. players who accept the challenge, so that’s their goal, escape games are nice, let’s get to the exit or not.
In fact, in order to escape, go through a process in which achievements are achieved that cause instant gratification?Find a key to open a drawer, solve a puzzle or open a lock?It satisfies us and encourages us to continue playing, focusing on the challenge in our hands and taking into account concerns related to the outside world.
“The secret to success is to take into account the image of a successful outcome. “- Thoreau-