People who meditate daily are less likely to avoid negative information, researchers report.
Smart decision-makers gather all the pertinent information and weigh the pros and cons dispassionately. This also includes gathering information that could prove unsettling or unpleasant. At least that’s the theory.
The reality is quite different, however. Due to what experts call cognitive bias, people tend to ignore potentially negative information—even when such information is available to them. For example, they don’t want to find out whether an investment is no longer worthwhile, a medical test has confirmed an illness, or a friend has betrayed their trust. The reason is that even just thinking about negative information triggers fear and worry….