The Optimism Bias: Why we're wired to look on the bright side

(Paperback)

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Winner of the British Psychological Society Book Award for Popular Psychology

Psychologists have long been aware that most people tend to maintain an irrationally positive outlook on life. In fact, optimism may be crucial to our existence. Tali Sharot's original cognitive research demonstrates in surprising ways the biological basis for optimism. In this fascinating exploration, she takes an in-depth, clarifying look at how the brain generates hope and what happens when it fails; how the brains of optimists and pessimists differ; why we are terrible at predicting what will make us happy; how anticipation and dread affect us; and how our optimistic illusions affect our financial, professional, and emotional decisions.

With its cutting-edge science and its wide-ranging and accessible narrative, The Optimism Bias provides us with startling new insight into how the workings of the brain create our hopes and dreams.

Reviews

Lucid, engaging and cutting-edge... a must-read for anyone interested in imagining the future.

An intelligent written look into why most people take an optimistic view on life...stimulating discussion...in easily understood language...fascinating trip into why we prefer to remain hopeful about our future and ourselves. - New York Journal of Books

Very enjoyable, highly original and packed with eye-opening insight, this is a beautifully written book that really brings psychology alive.

If you read her story, you'll get a much better grip on how we function in it. I'm optimistic about that. - TIME

Her fascinating book offers compelling evidence for the neural basis of optimism and what it all means. - Scientific American Book Club

Lively, conversational...A well-told, heartening report from neuroscience's front lines. - Kirkus

A book I'd suggest to anyone. - Forbes

Read it and cheer. It's important to your longevity. - Examiner

Author Bio

Tali Sharot's research on optimism, memory and emotion has been featured in Time, New Scientist, The New York Times and more. She has a Ph.D. in psychology and neuroscience from New York University and is currently a research fellow at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at University College London.