Professor Elaine Fox, 6 Feb 2013

What this episode covers

What is Optimism? And, is it really good for us? Elaine will discuss the nature of “rainy brains” and “sunny brains” asking where these fundamental differences in how we see the world actually come from. She will take us on a journey through cognitive psychology, neuroscience and molecular genetics and will argue that who we are – optimist or pessimist – comes from an intricate dance of genes, fate, and – most crucially - subliminal biases in how we notice, interpret and remember what goes on around us. She will argue that optimism is much more than positive thinking and that the benefits actually come from some other core elements of optimism such as positive actions, a tendency for persistence, and a sense of having control over one's destiny.

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