![]() ![]() (FMRIs) Similarly, abnormal activity in those regions is implicated in people suffering from depression, who tend to be pessimistically biased. Higher activity in amygdala & rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) is also implicated in enhanced optimism. Optimism bias is associated with the functions of hippocampus, caudate nucleus & communication of frontal cortex with sub cortical regions of our brain. Hence, it is said that a level of emotional investment/commitment coupled with perception of control of the event are essential for optimism bias to arise. Unfamiliarity with the event/ no past experiences.Illusion of control (situations/events must be perceived as controllable for optimism bias to occur). ![]() To increase/ preserve one’s self-esteemĬognitive explanation / the HOW of unrealistic optimism comprises of:.Motivational explanation/ the WHY of self-supporting (serving) biases: (Coelho, 2020) It tells us whether people would be on guard or not. (Szostek, 2018) (Cherry, 2020) Unrealistic optimism also depends on the personal risk perception (degree/ extent to which you perceive a situation as risky). Illusion of invulnerability increases with unlikely events (example: being robbed, arrested, death etc.), infrequent events (example: natural disasters), with uncertainty & also due to the optimism of others (when added to optimism bias). Tali Sharot (2012) established that, “expectations simply transform the way we perceive the world without altering reality itself”. Hence, irrespective of the outcome of our decision, in retrospect, we interpret our final decision in a positive way & value it more than the discarded option, in order ease tension & bring satisfaction. (Sharot, 2012) Leon Festinger, a social psychologist suggested that we try to decrease the tension that develops due to the task of evaluating and deciding between two suitable options that are on par. We also muse on positive future events & results more than the negative ones (in which case we ponder on the ways they can be circumvented) We tend to see the silver lining of our negative outcomes and experiences, & perceive failures as stepping stones of success, that ultimately lead us to fulfilling our goals. (“The Optimism Bias: Imagining A Positive Future”, n.d.) It is said that our brain naturally enables us to imagine our future scenarios a lot more than recalling flashbacks of our past. To experience conscious mental time travel (moving back & forth in time/picturing scenarios), Tali Sharot explained that during evolution, when human beings came to an understanding of death as inevitable, irrational/unrealistic optimism had to arise alongside. (Gillespie, 2019) Fun fact: Optimism bias is unaffected by the presence of opposing evidence or change. It exists irrespective of differences in race, gender, age etc. (Sharot, 2012) Yes, we can be collectively pessimistic about the state of affairs (maybe currently due to a pandemic, environmental mishaps & emergencies, innumerable protests & clashes, poor governance, questionable leaderships & democracies etc.), but as individuals, we tend to be remarkably optimistic about our private lives and success of our own endeavors. Tali Sharot, a leading expert in optimism bias & cognitive neuroscience pointed out that human beings are more optimists than realists, & that our brains are engineered & wired that way, as optimistically biased people. Nonetheless, who expected a few nanometers sized corona virus to cause a pandemic, bringing millions of lives to halt and revolutionize the world? What do we all think our lifespan is? Today, I feel miserable, when some people are so casual and complacent about their precautionary measures against COVID. How do you see your future? Do you see yourself having stable/better health, finances, and relationships than the present time? Or you see yourself meeting with an accident & losing a limb? Or contracting Covid/any debilitating illness? A bad relationship-breakup or divorce? Job loss? Missing the most important appointment/ meeting of your life? Failure of your start up? Or worse, death? I would not anticipate any of such things happening to me. Optimism bias or the Illusion of Invulnerability refers to overestimating likelihood of positive future events in our life and underestimating the likelihood of negative life events. However, unrealistic optimism/optimism bias/an illusion of invulnerability could pose a danger. ![]() (“The Optimism Bias: Imagining A Positive Future”, n.d.) Optimism has an evolutionary purpose, and is behind all the advancement in our lives, from early cave men to the present 21 st century. It acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy, helps us take risks, learn more & succeed, reduces stress & anxiety, elevates our mood and happiness, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease/death & thus improves health and wellbeing, just to name a few benefits. ![]()
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