Althouse: "Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, co-operation and reliance on mental shortcuts..."

December 21, 2009

"Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, co-operation and reliance on mental shortcuts..."

"... negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world."

20 comments:

Methadras said...: Who comes up with this horseshit?; 12/21/09, 2:04 PM
Wince said...: ...negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world.

The upshot would seem to be do whatever is necessary to keep the political class in a negative mood.; 12/21/09, 2:10 PM
kjbe said...: I think they've got the cart before the horse, here. When I'm flexible, I'm in a better mood. When I'm the only one paying attention (do I have to do everything!), well, not so much.; 12/21/09, 2:18 PM
themightypuck said...: This is horrible news. Hopefully further study will reveal it is false before employers start to take note.; 12/21/09, 2:34 PM
Sofa King said...: Great. Now when I have a positive mood I'll have to realize that it's hurting my reasoning ability and that will make me ANGRY!; 12/21/09, 2:37 PM
traditionalguy said...: This study is finding a truth we often overlook. When all is dreary and depressing, then just go to work and find out how much you can produce. It will surprise you. Happy people will overlook details on a feel good high almost like a DUI event.; 12/21/09, 2:53 PM
kentuckyliz said...: Paying very much attention to the world, especially the news lately, leads to negative moods.

rrrrr; 12/21/09, 3:07 PM
The Ghost said...: grumpy does not equal angry ...
being negative also doesn't mean being angry ...
I know alot of "happy" people who got very angry with GWB ...
when you are angry it certainly can effect your thinking process but that is completely different than being negative or "grumpy" ...
anyone who is only think positive thoughts is definitely fighting with half their brain tied behind their backs ...; 12/21/09, 3:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Yeah, Poe, Lovecraft and Rice were all such jocular, positive people.; 12/21/09, 4:11 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Um, We Are Doomed?; 12/21/09, 4:16 PM
Geoff Matthews said...: Oligonicella for teh win.; 12/21/09, 4:51 PM
ricpic said...: Take a beautiful sunset breaking through
At the end of a stormy day;
Without clouds occluding the blue
No glory when the clouds roll away; 12/21/09, 4:53 PM
vbspurs said...: This is why IT guys are given free Coke machines and allowed to dress down, because it creates a positive mood that leads to creativity. Contrast this to the atmosphere in banking departments, and you can see that the cramped, nitpicky rules about behaviour and dress lead to careful thinking and attention to details.

Alternatively, this is all BS and we should just all just go out and eat more M&Ms.

Cheers,
Victoria; 12/21/09, 5:27 PM
vbspurs said...: wv: truuf! We ain't lie.; 12/21/09, 5:28 PM
Penny said...: Well I was grumpy. But then I got all cranky.

My bad moods are quite flexible.

Has that been studied?; 12/21/09, 5:40 PM
themightypuck said...: Well said Victoria.; 12/21/09, 6:58 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Hello!

Stop it, you guys:

I think this is a keen observation you should pay attention to - Oh, wait: you're too busy being "positive" to notice your knee-jerk reactions to the word "negative", thus making the report's conclusion even more clear to me. A lot of people aren't capable of conceptualizing "critical thinking", or seeing it's worth, because the word "critical" stops them cold.

This is a politically correct world gone mad.

God, I hate NewAge and the way it's warped thinking. Is there no place anymore for curmudgeons? Last I heard, they were notorious for what? Why yes, making observations!

Dorthy Parker, Groucho Marx, and a host of others would be eaten alive today because y'all would insist on a cheery demeanor, brain-dead witticisms, and that fake portrayal of "nice" that's always the first notice that you're hypocritically planning on betraying someone when the situation makes it possible or moves you.

I swear, some days, I'm 100% convinced I'm surrounded by children.; 12/21/09, 9:31 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Hey, I'm sorry, was that a "negative" thing to say? Well, be sure to discount it, and declare there's no worth in it, because it either made you angry or feel something else that might be the tiniest bit uncomfortable or awkward. That is how it works now'a'days, isn't it?

Like I said, sorry.

As punishment, I'll now go paint a clown smile on my face, so the rest of you can feel "good" about yourselves.

Or, maybe, a '70's smiley face would be more appropriate? Yea, that's just the ticket,...brilliant:

And about as useful to the understanding of human nature, and intelligence, as another listen to "Don't Worry Be Happy".

Cheers!; 12/21/09, 9:40 PM
themightypuck said...: I'm all for more Mencken and less Oprah.; 12/21/09, 10:22 PM
kentuckyliz said...: They were discussing mood, not temperament or outlook.

Positive people can have negative moods, and vice versa.

Yes, vice versa. Some of the cranks, curmudgeons, Debbie Downer types I know wouldn't be happy unless they were negative.; 12/22/09, 6:46 AM