Diary of a pure positive mind

Feeling good makes you better!

There are many rumors (and studies) about negative outcomes of positive affect. Even when I studied psychology in Würzburg, they were telling us, positive affect leads to a heuristic and less systematic thinking. As if negative affect makes you a more analytical thinker. Now I read, that the complete opposite is true (well lucky me… the former ideas would have made my theory a bit less enticing). So the truth is: positive feelings make us better thinkers. Studies showed, that positive affect enhances flexibility and problem solving abilities. We are better in opening up for many opportunities and getting a broader view. That involves the ability to switch perspectives of focus, see connections among relatable concepts or hold multiple considerations in mind at once, as needed to solve a problem or to take multiple goals (Isen, 2011).

What we perceived as “less systematic thinking” in former days suddenly turned out to be very smart: Isen (and colleagues) found out that people with positive affect tend to skip tasks or showed decreased performance , only when the task was “dull or unpleasant and unimportant”. The former studies just show, that positive affect makes you divide very good between important and unimportant.

Where did that misconception come from. I also find myself somehow believing, that a person in a very good mood tends to be less concentrated or might not be very analytical. I think that might be due to the many goals we hold at the same time. It might be that other goals are getting more important. Isen also postulates an improvement in social interaction. The positive affect and broadening of focus leads to an improvement in seeing another´s perpective. The self-focus is reduced and leads to more generousity and helpfulness. Our aim to make others comfortabel might interfere with outbidding others in cognitive performance.

To me this is really good news. I´d also say, I can concentrate better, have more fun and learn more with postive feelings. I can only recommend that now!

Isen, A.M. (2011), A Role for Neuropsychology in Understanding the Facilitating Influence of Positive Affect
on Social Behavior and Cognitive Processes, The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology, 503-526