Putting On A Happy Face Helps You See The Big Picture

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Putting On A Happy Face Helps You See The Big Picture

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/129844.php

That photo of your smiling kids on the refrigerator door might do

more than just make you feel good; you might make healthier food

choices after looking at it. A new study in the Journal of Consumer

Research shows that positive moods can increase our ability to

understand the big picture.

" A positive mood enhances efforts to attain future well-being,

encourages broader and flexible thinking, and increases openness to

information, " write the study's authors Aparna A. Labroo (University

of Chicago) and M. (University of Georgia).

The researchers investigated the scientific basis for the simple

practice of surrounding oneself with positive things. The first study

presented identical statements to study participants. The statements

in each set were preceded by either a smiley face or a frowny

face. " The results revealed that simply associating a smiley with a

statement resulted in the statement being construed at a higher, more

abstract level. "

In follow-up studies, the authors induced positive and negative moods

by asking participants to describe either the happiest or unhappiest

days in their lives. They then filled out three different

questionnaires to determine the level of abstract versus concrete

thinking. All three questionnaires showed that people in a good mood

thought more abstractly.

The authors explain that being in a good mood allows people to step

back emotionally. " The research demonstrates that by signaling that a

situation is benign, a positive mood allows people to psychologically

distance themselves from the situation, " the authors write.

" Those in a positive mood not only adopt higher-order future goals

and work harder toward attaining them, but also reduce their efforts

when goals are proximal or concrete, " they conclude.