The Surprising Upside of Negative Thinking.
Why preparing for the worst helps some people succeed.
Did you know that some people don’t rely on optimism to succeed? Instead of expecting the best, they prepare for the worst by anticipating problems before they happen. It’s called defensive pessimism, and in today’s story, we break down the neuropsychology behind it.
Theo knew inviting Henry was a mistake.
They had barely set foot on the trail when Henry started, “You know, there could be a serial killer hiding in the forest,” he grumbled, adjusting the straps of his overstuffed backpack.
Theo sighed, “Right because Ted Bundy is just waiting for hikers on a random Sunday morning.”
Henry squinted at the sky. “See that grey cloud over there? It looks suspicious.”
“The next four hours are going to be such a blast,” Theo muttered, rolling his eyes.
They set off with Henry rattling off a list of things that could go wrong: dehydration, getting lost, thunderstorms and sliding rocks.
“Watch out for snakes!” Henry exclaimed as Theo walked in front of him.
Henry huffed and puffed loudly with each step as they trudged up. Every rustle in the bushes made him flinch.
A bird screeched overhead.
“Did you know a golden eagle attacked a 20-month-old girl and three others in Norway?” Henry panted.
“Are you in Norway right now, Henry? You’ll be fine. Just relax and take in the nature.”
They reached the halfway point on the trek when Theo's foot slipped on a slimy rock.
He hit the ground, scraping his arm. Blood seeped from the wound.
Nodding, Henry said, “I knew something like this would happen.”
Trying to sit up, Theo groaned, “Jeez Henry, a little optimism wouldn’t kill you.”
Henry pointed to a rock, “Sit.”
From his overstuffed backpack, he pulled out disinfectant, gauze and bandages.
Methodically, he disinfected, cleaned and dressed the wound.
After a short break, they pressed on, more carefully.
At the summit, the view stretched out. Golden sunlight spilled over the vast, breathtaking expanse.
Theo stood in awe. Even Henry was silent, taking it in. For exactly ten whole seconds.
Then he exhaled, “Now we just have to survive the trek down.”
Henry is what psychologists call a defensive pessimist.
Instead of suppressing their worries, defensive pessimists leverage their anxiety as a tool in being prepared for all eventualities.
Their strategy begins with setting low expectations. They do it because it keeps them alert, not because they expect to fail.
Next, they mentally simulate all possible disasters and prepare for them accordingly. In Henry’s case, it was anticipating slipping on rocks, sudden rain, and getting lost.
Defensive pessimists don’t just see problems; they prepare for them.
This is different from pure catastrophising pessimists who fixate on what will go wrong, spiral into negativity and avoid taking action. If Henry was a pure pessimist, he would not even have set foot on the trail.
Research reveals defensive pessimists have higher baseline anxiety levels, with increased activity in the amygdala—the threat detection centre.
But rather than being paralysed by fear, they redirect their anxiety into strategising and problem-solving, engaging the pre-frontal cortex.
Here’s the paradox—negative thinking helps them succeed.
Defensive pessimists are not driven by the fear of failure but by a need to prevent it.
While optimists focus on what will go right, defensive pessimists leverage their anxiety to ensure that things don’t go wrong.
Yet, they often frustrate those around them. Their hyperfocus on the risks and negatives can make them party poopers. They are told to relax, lighten up or think positively.
But what if we tried to understand them for who they are?
Not everyone sees the world with boundless optimism and positivity.
Some people see possibilities first. Others see pitfalls.
Both have their place.
References:
Golden eagle attacks 20-month-old girl and 3 others in Norway, causing deep gouges: “It kept coming back.” (2024, September 9). CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/golden-eagle-attacks-toddler-others-norway-kept-coming-back/
Norem, J. K., & Cantor, N. (1986). Defensive pessimism: Harnessing anxiety as motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1208–1217. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1208
Norem, J. K. (2007). Defensive Pessimism, Anxiety, and the Complexity of Evaluating Self‐Regulation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2(1), 121–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00053.x
Norem, J. K. (2001). Defensive pessimism, optimism, and pessimism. In American Psychological Association eBooks (pp. 77–100). https://doi.org/10.1037/10385-004
Sanna, L. J. (1996). Defensive pessimism, optimism, and stimulating alternatives: Some ups and downs of prefactual and counterfactual thinking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71(5), 1020–1036. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.71.5.1020
Showers, C., & Ruben, C. (1990). Distinguishing defensive pessimism from depression: Negative expectations and positive coping mechanisms. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14(4), 385–399. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01172934
Spencer, S. M., & Norem, J. K. (1996). Reflection and distraction defensive pessimism, strategic optimism, and performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22(4), 354–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167296224003
Image by Kazden Cattapan on Unsplash
Interesting...