Optimists and Pessimists Have Different Brains

Optimists and pessimists are hardwired to think positively or negatively, a new study suggests.

New research reveals that the ability to think positively or negatively may be hardwired in the brain. Researchers said that the latest finding is the first to provide biological evidence confirming the existence of optimists and pessimists.

"It's the first time we've been able to find a brain marker that really distinguishes negative thinkers from positive thinkers," lead researcher Jason Moser, an assistant professor of psychology at Michigan State University, said in a news release.

The latest study involved 71 female participants who were shown graphic images and asked to think of a positive spin on them while researchers monitored their brain activity.

For instance, one scenario involved a picture of a masked man holding a knife to a woman's throat. One potential outcome would be that the woman breaks free and escapes.

Participants were first asked to fill out surveys before the experiment. The surveys helped determine participants who tended to think positively and those who thought negatively.

Brain scans revealed that the brains of positive thinkers were significantly less active than that of the worriers during the experiment.

"The worriers actually showed a paradoxical backfiring effect in their brains when asked to decrease their negative emotions," Moser said. "This suggests they have a really hard time putting a positive spin on difficult situations and actually make their negative emotions worse even when they are asked to think positively."

The study focused on women because females are two times more likely than men to suffer from anxiety related problems, researchers explained.

Moser and his team said that the latest findings might provide insight into the way negative thinkers tackle difficult situations.

"You can't just tell your friend to think positively or to not worry - that's probably not going to help them," Moser said. "So you need to take another tack and perhaps ask them to think about the problem in a different way, to use different strategies."

Researchers recommend pessimists to practice thinking positively. It will take effort and time to train a naturally anxious brain to think positively. However, researchers believe that practice really can make a difference when it comes to being more positive.

The findings are published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

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