The Generalizability of Positive Information

Changing behavior is a common goal for many people, but using warnings and threats to scare people into changing their behavior may not be as effective as we think. The power of positive information can be a more effective way to influence behavior. Research has shown that people tend to change t...

Positive information can make us feel good, while negative information can make us feel bad. This is evident in the stock market, where people log in to check their accounts more frequently when the market is high and avoid it when the market is low. However, bad information cannot always be avoi...

Warnings and threats are commonly used in health campaigns and policies, with the belief that inducing fear will get people to act. However, research shows that warnings have limited impact on behavior. When we are scared, our most common response is to shut down and try to eliminate negative fee...

The power of positive information can be an effective way to help someone change their behavior. Research has shown that people tend to change their beliefs towards the more desirable opinion when given positive information. Instead of using warnings and threats to scare someone into changing the...

There are different routes from our present to our future, and we gather more information about where the wind is blowing as time passes. Warning signs and bad behaviors may potentially lead to bad outcomes, but not necessarily so. It takes energy to intervene and potentially change the outcome. ...