Happy People See More of the World

Who knew that people wearing "rose colored glasses" actually see more of the world? It's true: according to a study at the University of Toronto, cheerful people actually process more visual information than do people in a negative state of mind. According to an article in Science Daily:

“Good and bad moods literally change the way our visual cortex operates and how we see,” says Adam Anderson, a U of T professor of psychology. “Specifically our study shows that when in a positive mood, our visual cortex takes in more information, while negative moods result in tunnel vision. The study appears in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Researchers noted that good vibes allowed subjects to actually see, notice and remember more about a scene.  They could describe faces and details, and at the same time were able to place details in context. On the other hand, though, happy subjects had a tougher time staying focused on just one item: their attention tended to wander.

Says one member of the research team: "The downside is that this can lead to distraction on critical tasks that require narrow focus, such as operating dangerous machinery or airport screening of passenger baggage."

This study may go a long way toward explaining why the folks who search your baggage tend to be so grumpy!