Positive, negative thinkers' brains revealed

Surely it's desirable to have at least part of the population who do not ignore potential problems.

http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/positive-negative-thinkers-brains-revealed/

Positive, negative thinkers' brains revealed

Published: April 2, 2014
Contact(s): Andy Henion Media Communications
Jason Moser Psychology

The ability to stay positive when times get tough – and, conversely, of being negative – may be hardwired in the brain, finds new research led by a Michigan State University psychologist.

The study, which appears in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, is the first to provide biological evidence validating the idea that there are, in fact, positive and negative people in the world.

“It’s the first time we’ve been able to find a brain marker that really distinguishes negative thinkers from positive thinkers,” said Jason Moser, lead investigator and assistant professor of psychology.

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“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.” - See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/positive-negative-thinkers-brains-revealed/#sthash.UDSBdQHJ.dpuf

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