Its vital to check out what traits, beliefs and attitudes make somebody a “optimistic particular person.” Its additionally important to level out detrimental traits which if not shed, lead to one not really being optimistic…even when they assume they’re.
Okay, so what does that imply? Mainly, it signifies that there are some individuals who assume they’re optimistic folks however who, for no matter cause, proceed to carry on to decidedly detrimental habits, attitudes and behaviors. For instance, take our case research “Invoice” – Invoice says he’s a optimistic particular person and believes that he’s, however in actuality, he has retained too a lot of his outdated, detrimental, poisonous traits. That is “Invoice”…
Invoice smiles typically and tries to have what he believes is an efficient outlook on life. He’s retired and likes to fish and play along with his grandchildren — all of these issues are in impact, good. Nevertheless, Invoice can also be extraordinarily opinionated and sometimes turns into scorching and agitated with anybody who has a differing view than his personal. Invoice is commonly heard to reply to somebody who he disagrees with “What?! You don’t know what you’re speaking about…let me inform you….” or “I imagine what I imagine and I don’t care what number of details you throw at me, I’m proper an you’re fallacious!”…. Invoice can also be very considering politics and can attempt to steer as many conversations as he can towards that topic, regardless of household and buddies telling him they don’t want to speak politics. Moreover, Invoice depends on simply one supply for his information and he imagine something they report — he refuses to confirm it and believes that they’re the one dependable information supply.
So can Invoice behave this manner and nonetheless be a optimistic thinker? Effectively, the reply is a bit difficult…
Affirmation Bias
Invoice, like thousands and thousands of individuals, has what is known as affirmation bias. In essence, it is a closed-minded strategy to information and knowledge through which the one that has the bias believes a sure approach/factor and can search out and/or depend on solely these sources that they really feel confirms their bias — typically, they’ll even use selective “listening” in hopes of listening to somebody affirm their biased perception (in different phrases, they solely hear what they wish to hear).
Most individuals have a primary psychological protection mechanism for managing info that they understand as both strongly supporting or overtly difficult their perception system — even when these beliefs are flawed or not even primarily based in truth. When new info and details problem long-held beliefs, a fragile ego will usually:
- Dismiss the knowledge as being suspect or “propaganda”
- Deny the details and reject it as “faux” (it by no means actually occurred)
- Downplay the knowledge/details/story as “effectively, it might need occurred, however its not practically as unhealthy/true/correct as ‘they’ declare”
- Rationalize the knowledge/details/story as “either side are actually in charge….”
In each occasion, the one that can’t or gained’t settle for actuality, is pathologically attempting to twist reality and actuality to go well with their very own preconceived, most frequently inaccurate, views and perception of the particular details.
“Affirmation bias is twisting the details to suit your beliefs. Crucial considering is bending your beliefs to suit the details. In search of the reality just isn’t about validating the story in your head. It’s about rigorously vetting and accepting the story that matches the truth on this planet.” – Adam Grant
An individual who permits affirmation bias to dictate their views can name themselves “optimistic” and maybe they even really feel pleased more often than not. Nevertheless, in actuality, after we are closed-minded and refuse to simply accept details just because we don’t like them, we are able to’t really be optimistic thinkers. To be a optimistic particular person means to be extra open to vary and receptive to the truth that folks’s views matter and that fact issues — affirmation bias is actually embracing falsehood over fact.
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