![]() Optimism bias isn't always a bad thing, but it can cause problems for you. You aren't getting the message that a negative event is likely. ![]() The right inferior frontal gyrus reduces its coding of such negative information. This failure to code negative information happens in the frontal lobe regions. Thus, they tend to think pessimistically. Since depression usually comes with a decrease in dopamine function, it makes sense that people with depression wouldn't have this advantage in increasing their optimism bias. The dopamine seemed to increase their optimism bias by affecting their ability to update what they'd learned. This was true even after they got the statistics showing they were more likely than they'd predicted to experience those negative events. ![]() Those who were given L-Dopa tended to retain their optimism. Finally, they were asked to estimate their probability of experiencing the negative events. Afterward, they were given statistics on how likely these events are. People were given a list of negative events and asked to rate how likely they were to happen to them. Researchers tried administering dopamine in the form of L-Dopa to see if it affected their level of optimism bias. You believe no one will try to come in your house uninvited, so you don't lock your door.Expecting to have a spectacular vacation and then having a boring or frustrating time.Spending excessive amounts of money because you expect more money to come in even though you have no evidence that any money is due you.Buying lottery tickets because you believe you have a better chance of winning than others.Believing you can smoke without an increased chance of getting lung cancer.Imagining that you'll live to very old age despite knowing that others in your family have died young.Expecting it will be easier for you to buy a house than it is for others.Expecting you won't have a car wreck, despite others you know have been in wrecks.Here are a few examples of optimism bias: Several synonyms of optimism bias have made it into the literature about this phenomenon. People going through depression don't have an optimism bias. Young people tend to feel more invulnerable than older people, so they're more prone to optimism bias. This works great with many types of learning, but it doesn't work to teach people to be less optimistic. You may have expectations, but when faced with reality, you learn the truth. Much of what humans learn comes from trial and error. What's curious about optimism bias is that it goes against the usual way people adjust their perceptions of reality. Some researchers have even reported that birds and rats have shown optimism bias. About 80% of all humans have optimism bias at any given time. People naturally have an optimism bias, but some people are prone to have it more often and more intensely. Optimism bias represents a distinct difference between your expectations for an event and the way the event plays out. Optimism bias, simply put, is believing that good things are more likely to happen for you and bad things are less likely to happen for you. So, what's wrong with believing in the best for yourself? What Is Optimism Bias? Besides, good things happen, too, and if you have optimism bias, you see yourself as more likely to be on the receiving end of those good things. If you have optimism bias, you believe those things are a lot less likely to happen to you than to someone else.
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