Not always optimistic is the medicine for health

People are generally optimistic, they believe in the future they will do better in the past. We may exercise, or diet or save money to buy a house. However, the prejudice of optimism in a new study on Consumer Research can make us change and reach our long-term goals.

Ying Zang, Ayelet Fishbach (Ayelet Fishbach University, Chicago) and Ravi Dhar (Yale University) have found that different brains interact with optimistic attitudes. When people think of their progress in achieving their goals, they tend to make negative decisions - such as eating unhealthy foods. But when people think of binding to a certain destination, people tend to choose to act in accordance with its goals.

The researchers explained: 'For example, when the goal of exercise is set for practice, going to the practice room indicates their awareness of achieving a part of the goal is like doing Eat a delicious but fat cake. On the contrary, when a person realizes that he is forced to exercise to be healthy, acting to the gym shows his health is very important. Therefore, he will refrain from eating that delicious cake to achieve the ultimate goal. '

In the first survey, researchers conducted with a group of participants about how often they went to the gym last year. One group was asked to predict how often to go to the gym next year - this is the goal to achieve. People who are required to think about exercise to apply in the future tend to drink more water than sugary soda than those who are required to think about the exercises they have gone through.

Similarly, in another experiment, participants are asked to visualize and write down a process or to complete a training regime - this is another way to evoke prejudice about optimism. Participants will then be asked to assess the duration of the exercise and will complete their survey of their thoughts on healthy food.

Researchers said: 'We have only learned a little bit why optimistic thinking about achieving future goals affects the decision about current goals, and the direction of impact. how. Therefore, market researchers need to consider not only the balance of factors when making decisions, but the relationship of this choice with past and future choices should also be consider.'