Rethinking Positive Thinking

November 1, 2014

Oettingen (psychology, New York Univ.) reports on her past decade of research regarding human motivation. The author first documents how she measured declines in energy and motivation in groups that engaged in fantasies of wish fulfillment. She consistently found that those who apply the positive-thinking techniques put forth in popular works such as Rhonda Byrne's The Secret experience physiological reactions which create lack of motivation. According to Oettingen, systolic blood pressure is lowered by the act of dreaming or fantasizing about success, creating lethargy, while simultaneously elevating mood. These studies dovetail with many other motivational studies reporting levels of optimism and overestimation of ability. The author, having established that it makes people just as happy to wish as to do, then suggests the application of visualization techniques structured to address more concrete mastery and autonomy issues covered in motivation titles such as Daniel H. Pink's Drive. Her procedure, WOOP (Wish Outcome Obstacle Plan)--trademarked, with an app supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation--adds a recognizable layer of cognitive behavioral technique to positive thinking exercises. VERDICT Approachably written for general readers, the work also includes detailed activity instructions.--Kellie Benson, Oakton Community Coll. Libs., Des Plaines, IL

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