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The Optimism Bias: A Tour of the Irrationally Positive Brain Paperback – June 12, 2012

by Tali Sharot (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 233 ratings
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Psychologists have long been aware that most people maintain an irrationally positive outlook on life—but why? Turns out, we might be hardwired that way.

In this absorbing exploration, Tali Sharot—one of the most innovative neuroscientists at work today—demonstrates that optimism may be crucial to human existence. The Optimism Bias explores 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 emotions strengthen our ability to recollect; how anticipation and dread affect us; how our optimistic illusions affect our financial, professional, and emotional decisions; and more.
 
Drawing on cutting-edge science, The Optimism Bias provides us with startling new insight into the workings of the brain and the major role that optimism plays in determining how we live our lives.

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  1. Print length
    272 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    June 12, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    5.23 x 0.72 x 7.92 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0307473511
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0307473516
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Fascinating. . . . Even if you’re a dedicated cynic, you might be surprised to learn that your brain is wearing rose-colored glasses, whether you like it or not.”
—NPR

“What a treat. A charming, engaging and accessible book written by a scientist who knows how to tell a story.”
—Richard Thaler, author of Nudge

“An insightful, Oliver Sacks-y first book.”
—The Village Voice

“Very enjoyable, highly original and packed with eye-opening insight, this is a beautifully written book that really brings psychology alive.”
—Simon Baron-Cohen, author of The Science of Evil
 
“Offers evolutionary, neurological, and even slightly philosophical reasons for optimism. . . . A book I’d suggest to anyone.”
—Terry Waghorn, Forbes 
 
“If you read her story, you’ll get a better grip on how we function in it. I’m optimistic about that.”
—Richard Stengel, Time
 
“Once I started reading The Optimism Bias, I could not put it down.”
—Louisa Jewell, Positive Psychology News Daily
 
“An intelligently written look into why most people take an optimistic view of life. . . . [A] fascinating trip into why we prefer to remain hopeful about our future and ourselves.”
—New York Journal of Books
 
“With rare talent Sharot takes us on an unforgettable tour of the hopes, traps and tricks of our brains. . . . A must-read.”
—David Eagleman, author of Incognito
 
“A fascinating yet accessible exploration of how and why our brains construct a positive outlook on life.”
—BrainPickings.org
 
“Lively, conversational. . . . A well-told, heartening report from neuroscience’s front lines.”
—Kirkus Reviews
 
“Most readers will turn to the last page not only buoyed by hope but also aware of the sources and benefits of that hope.”
—Booklist
 
“Fascinating and fun to read. . . . Provides lucid accounts of [Sharot’s] often ingenious experiments.”
—BBC Focus Magazine

About the Author

Tali Sharot’s research on optimism, memory, and emotion has been the subject of features in Newsweek, The Boston Globe, Time, The Wall Street Journal, New Scientist, and The Washington Post, as well as on the BBC. She has a Ph.D. in psychology and neuroscience from New York University and is the director of the Affective Brain Lab and an Associate Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience in the department of Experimental Psychology at University College London. She lives in London.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage; Reprint edition (June 12, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0307473511
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0307473516
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.23 x 0.72 x 7.92 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 233 ratings

About the author

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Tali Sharot

Tali Sharot

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Tali Sharot is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience with degrees in economics and psychology. She is the founder and director of the Affective Brain Lab at University College London. Her papers on decision-making, emotion, and influence have been published in Nature, Science, Nature Neuroscience, Psychological Science, and many others. She has been featured in numerous outlets and written for The New York Times, Time magazine, The Washington Post, CNN, the BBC and more. Before becoming a neuroscientist Sharot worked in the financial industry for a few years and completed her national mandatory service in the Israeli air force. She is the author of The Optimism Bias and of The Influential Mind. She lives in Boston and London with her husband and children.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
233 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

wildaliz rivera
5.0 out of 5 stars "The Optimism Bias" – A Mind-Bending Journey into Positivity!
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
Prepare for a mental rollercoaster with "The Optimism Bias"! 🚀 This book takes you on a thrilling tour of the wonderfully irrational realm of positivity. Tali Sharot's insights are like a burst of sunshine for your brain, challenging the way you think and revealing the quirks of our optimistically wired minds.

Get ready for a mind-bending exploration of why we're wired to see the glass half full. Sharot's writing is not just informative – it's a joyride through the fascinating landscape of our irrational positivity. You'll find yourself nodding in agreement, questioning your assumptions, and emerging on the other side with a newfound appreciation for the quirks of human optimism.

Whether you're a psychology enthusiast or just someone looking for an eye-opening read, "The Optimism Bias" is a gem. Sharot's storytelling prowess turns complex concepts into a page-turning adventure. Dive into this book, and let the journey into the irrationally positive captivate your mind! 📚✨
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lindaluane
4.0 out of 5 stars rose colored glasses
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2014
Verified Purchase
I am interested in the optimism bias because I teach psychology...I like to find new ways to present material to students. Many of the examples in the book are ones that I already use in class
The main premise of the book is the phenomenon that most people believe that they are better than average, when, in reality, it is impossible for most people to be so. I have found that most students in my classes believe that they will live longer than the average lifespan, that they will live
Tali Sharot also contends that a moderate degree of irrational optimism has been evolutionarily selected for because it has survival benefits. She believes that optimists tend to overlook the negative possibilities, while pessimists have a more realistic outlook ... However, because the optimist does tend to look at the world through rose colored glasses, they do tend to actually "do" better.
5 people found this helpful
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H. Schneider
5.0 out of 5 stars Optimism is like red wine. Or vinegar
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2011
Verified Purchase
Nothing in life is as important as when we think about it. This great aphorism is a summary on what is called the `focusing illusion'.
The book gives us many more of those. It is an easy read, a popular essay on questions of psychology, involving philosophy and evolution. I like its way of giving names, like this focusing illusion, or `defensive pessimism' (holding low expectations will protect us from disappointment --- alas, not true), or the title story: `optimism bias', a cognitive malfunction.

The optimism bias stands guard. It is in charge of keeping us healthy. Where would homsap be if we would live according to our deeper insight of futility? Optimism counteracts knowledge of death. Schopenhauer and his ilk are the enemies of mankind's future. Evolution can't handle the depressed other than by sorting them out. Depression is the inability to construct a future. Religion's place in the overall scheme of evolution is reserved in the VIP sector. Optimists live longer!

Homo sapiens' outstanding skill, compared to other species, is mental time travel, the ability to remember and to look and think ahead and make plans for contingencies. Sharot tells us that the ability to do these mental travels is located in specific brain regions. It has been observed, she says, that special brain regions in London taxi drivers shrink when they retire and don't need to keep their navigational knowledge up to speed any more. Makes me wonder if it is safe to start forgetting all the football results that I remember?
Much of the argument in the book is based on practical research, such as using brain images. Luckily I gather that the time has not yet come where a brain scanner can read your thoughts accurately.

Among the less appreciated insights in this book: people who like gardening are apparently happier than people like me. I don't do gardening. Tough luck. She doesn't say anything about cooking. That's another bad habit that I stay away from. I like to consider myself reasonably happy without gardening and cooking, but maybe I confuse `happy' with `lucky'?

Why is optimism like red wine? Obviously, a little of it is good for you, but beware not to overdose!
Same might be said for vinegar, right? I need to thank my acetic zoo pal for this recommendation!
13 people found this helpful
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kthdimension
5.0 out of 5 stars "Optimism is like red wine:"
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2011
Verified Purchase
"...A glass a day is good for you, but a bottle a day can be hazardous" (pp. 198). This quote more or less sums up the book's theme, although it would be disingenuous to characterize this work as yet another self-help, let's-all-hold-hands-and-sing-Cumbaya book. Sharot isn't intent on persuading the reader to adopt an optimistic bias but rather, to show that "optimism bias" is widespread in the population and that our brains have evolved to over-predict future happiness & success so as to make health and progress more likely. Whether or not she's right is up to you to decide. Nevertheless, Sharot should be commended for marshaling much of the research into optimism conducted over the previous 30 years, adding a neuroscience spin to it, and packaging it in a way that is accessible and informative to both the lay-reader and academic.
4 people found this helpful
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Ronald M
5.0 out of 5 stars Very easy to read
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2018
Verified Purchase
The author uses a very simple yet elegant language to discuss the issues in this book. Very easy to read. gives you a new perspective on things in life. Our consciousness is a quantum computer capable of generating reality inside and outside of us. Mental hygiene is another topic, it turns out that YOU MUST control your thoughts, at least don't let the garbage affect your mood. Constantly seek new methods of dealing with old habits, make new habits, good habits. This book is a mental guidance, an exercise in motion
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Scott
4.0 out of 5 stars Great research with fluid prose
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2011
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A really thought-provoking and well researched book. Sharot has fluid and thoughtful prose while writing, which makes the statistical information more pleasing than monotonous. While much of the research may seem obvious, the numerous studies really show how obnoxious it can be to be so optimistic. Is it hope that has helped us last throughout all this time? Most intriguing was the research done on the part of the brain that both remembers the past and imagines the future.

A strong and well-written nonfiction.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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NIANG
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting!
Reviewed in France on August 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
Insightful and easy to read with many scientific study sourced. I learned many things on human nature that should help me in my daily life to make better decision and reasonably optimist
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Ankur
5.0 out of 5 stars Positive thinking is overrated.
Reviewed in India on February 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book is to the point, an easy read. And with good research, it explains why more is not merrier when it comes to optimism.
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Cliente de Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars The Optimism Bias
Reviewed in Mexico on May 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
Excelente libro, cubre lo esencial
sobre el optimismo y claro de entender
Lo recomiendo para entender y mejorar
el propio optimismo
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Martín
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesante
Reviewed in Spain on September 24, 2016
Verified Purchase
Buen libro que se apoya en estudios, documentos y hechos cotidianos para ilustrar los conceptos de optimismo y pesimismo en el ser humano. A veces el lenguaje se hace demasiado técnico y pesado pero en general se lee bien.
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Jehovah
3.0 out of 5 stars Leaping Forward With A Cool Idea.
Reviewed in Canada on August 20, 2016
Verified Purchase
The Optimism Bias squeaked open a door for a philosophical discussion, but failed to deliver a punishing blow. Have the experts in neuroscience really concluded that we understand optimism? Cool if true. But maybe we just aren't there yet.
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