The optimism bias
2,704,089 views | Tali Sharot • TED2012
Are we born to be optimistic, rather than realistic? Tali Sharot shares new research that suggests our brains are wired to look on the bright side -- and how that can be both dangerous and beneficial.
Are we born to be optimistic, rather than realistic? Tali Sharot shares new research that suggests our brains are wired to look on the bright side -- and how that can be both dangerous and beneficial.
This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.
About the speaker
Tali Sharot studies why our brains are biased toward optimism.
Edward C. Chang (Editor) | American Psychological Association, 2001 | Book
Optimism & Pessimism
Great academic review of work done before the year 2000.
| Explore
Affective Brain Lab
You can find all of our scientific papers, media articles, events and videos here.
Tali Sharot | The New York Times, May 14, 2011 | Article
Major Delusions
An op-ed about optimism and college graduates.
Dominic D. P. Johnson and James H. Fowler | Nature, September 15, 2011 | Article
The evolution of overconfidence
An article about optimism and evolution. A computational model for the evolutionary benefits of overconfidence.
Ryan T. McKay and Daniel C. Dennett | Behavioral and Brain Sciences, December 2009 | Article
The evolution of misbelief
Insightful piece about common misbeliefs. McKay and Dennett conclude that positive biases are the only misbeliefs for which there is a clear evolutionary advantage.
Ajit Varki | Nature, August 6, 2009 | Article
Human uniqueness and the denial of death
Interesting theory/view for why optimism may have emerged in humans.
Peter Ubel | Forbes, Februrary 22, 2009 | Article
Human Nature and the Financial Crisis
An article about optimism and the financial crisis.
Redes | A la carta, November 4, 2012 | Watch
Somos optimistas por naturaleza Spanish
Tom Tangney | MyNorthwest.com, July 1, 2011 | Watch
Interview: Tali Sharot
Tali Sharot | Time, May 28, 2011
| Article
The Optimism Bias
A short overview of the science of optimism.
Justin Kruger and David Dunning | Psychology, December 2009 | Article
Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments
On the related concept of superiority illusion.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz | Flammarion, 1999 | Book
Theodicy Full text
Some of the first work on optimism.
Voltaire | Project Gutenberg, 2006 | Book
Candide, ou l'optimisme French Full text
Another of the earliest works on optimism. Read it in English.
Learn more
This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.