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Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.
Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.
 
Q. What could most likely be the source of this passage? 
  • a)
    A philosophical blog
  • b)
    A psychology journal
  • c)
    A priest’s sermon
  • d)
    A sociology journal
  • e)
    A behavioural science lecture 
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the dow...
The passage gives information about negative thinking, the rationale behind it and finally offers a solution to it. The most likely source of this passage is a philosophical blog. Philosophy is the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct. Since option 1 offers an insight into the human mind with regards to negative thinking, it is the most likely answer.
Psychology is the science of the mind or of mental states and processes. A psychology journal would be more academic in nature and hence, option 2 can be eliminated.
A priest's sermon will address people directly and be more anecdotal in nature. Hence, option 3 can be eliminated.
Sociology deals with the science or study of the origin, development, organization, and functioning of human society; the science of the fundamental laws of social relations, institutions, etc. and hence, option 4 can be eliminated.
Behavioural science is the science of human behaviour and includes subjects like psychology, sociology and anthropology. Each of these subdivisions have different implications and hence, the source of the passage must be made specific to the genre to which it belongs. Besides, the language used is not very academic in nature, which a journal would warrant. Eliminate option 5.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.
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Group QuestionA passage is followed by questions pertaining to the passage. Read the passage and answer the questions. Choose the most appropriate answer.Thinking negatively, expecting the worst, seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isnt black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation thats less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.Why has negative thinking been called an emotional insurance policy?

Group QuestionRead the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.In December 2010 I appeared on John Stossels television special on scepticism on Fox Business News, during which I debunked numerous pseudoscientific beliefs. Stossel added his own scepticism of possible financial pseudoscience in the form of active investment fund managers who claim that they can consistently beat the market. In a dramatic visual demonstration, Stossel threw 30 darts into a page of stocks and compared their performance since January 1,2010, with stock picks of the 10 largest managed funds. Results: Dartboard, a 31 percent increase; managed funds, a 9.5 percent increase.Admitting that he got lucky because of his limited sample size, Stossel explained that had he thrown enough darts to fully represent the market he would have generated a 12 percent increase the market average a full 2.5 percentage points higher than the 10 largest managed funds average increase. As Princeton University economist Burton G. Malkiel elaborated on the show, over the past decade more than two thirds of actively managed funds were beaten by a simple low-cost indexed fund [for example, a mutual fund invested in a large number of stocks], and the active funds that win in one period arent the same ones who win in the next period.Stossel cited a study in the journal Economics and Portfolio Strategy that tracked 452 managed funds from 1990 to 2009,finding that only 13 beat the market average. Equating managed fund directors to snake-oil salesmen, Malkiel said that Wall Street is selling Main Street on the belief that experts can consistently time the market and make accurate predictions of when to buy and sell. They cant. No one can. Not even professional economists and not even for large-scale market indicators. As economics Nobel laureate Paul Samuelson long ago noted in a 1966 Newsweek column: Commentators quote economic studies alleging that market downturns predicted four out of the last five recessions. That is an understatement. Wall Street indexes predicted nine out of the last five recessions!Even in a given tech area, where you might expect a greater level of specific expertise, economic forecasters fumble. On December 22, 2010, for example, the Wall Street Journal ran a piece on how the great hedge fund financier T. Boone Pickens (chair of BP Capital Management) just abandoned his Pickens Plan of investing in wind energy. Pickens invested $2 billion based on his prediction that the price of natural gas would stay high. It didnt, plummeting as the drilling industrys ability to unlock methane from shale beds improved, a turn of events even an expert such as Pickens failed to see.Why are experts (along with us nonexperts) so bad at making predictions? The world is a messy, complex and contingent place with countless intervening variables and confounding factors, which our brains are not equipped to evaluate. We evolved the capacity to make snap decisions based on short-term predictions, not rational analysis about long-term investments, and so we deceive ourselves into thinking that experts can foresee the future. This self-deception among professional prognosticators was investigated by University of California, Berkeley, professor Philip E. Tetlock, as reported in his 2005 book Expert Political Judgment. After testing 284 experts in political science, economics, history and journalism in a staggering 82,361 predictions about the future, Tetlock concluded that they did little better than a dart-throwing chimpanzee.There was one significant factor in greater prediction success, however, and that was cognitive style: foxes who know a little about many things do better than hedgehogs who know a lot about one area of expertise. Low scorers, Tetlock wrote, were thinkers who know one big thing, aggressively extend the explanatoryreach of that one big thing into new domains, display bristly impatience with those who do not get it, and express considerable confidence that they are already pretty proficient forecasters. High scorers in the study were thinkers who know many small things (tricks of their trad e), are sceptical of grand schemes, see explanation and prediction not as deductive exercises but rather as exercises in flexible ad hocery that require stitching together diverse sources of information, and are rather diffident about their own forecasting prowess. Being deeply knowledgeable on one subject narrows focus and increases confidence but also blurs the value of dissenting views and transforms data collection into belief confirmation. One way to avoid being wrong is to be sceptical whenever you catch yourself making predictions based on reducing complex phenomena into one overarching scheme. This type of cognitive trap is why I dont make predictions and why I never will.Q. Match the person in the left column to a description of them in the right column.

In December 2010 I appeared on John Stossels television special on scepticism on Fox Business News, during which I debunked numerous pseudoscientific beliefs. Stossel added his own scepticism of possible financial pseudoscience in the form of active investment fund managers who claim that they can consistently beat the market. In a dramatic visual demonstration, Stossel threw 30 darts into a page of stocks and compared their performance since January 1,2010, with stock picks of the 10 largest managed funds. Results: Dartboard, a 31 percent increase; managed funds, a 9.5 percent increase.Admitting that he got lucky because of his limited sample size, Stossel explained that had he thrown enough darts to fully represent the market he would have generated a 12 percent increase the market average a full 2.5 percentage points higher than the 10 largest managed funds average increase. As Princeton University economist Burton G. Malkiel elaborated on the show, over the past decade more than two thirds of actively managed funds were beaten by a simple low-cost indexed fund [for example, a mutual fund invested in a large number of stocks], and the active funds that win in one period arent the same ones who win in the next period.Stossel cited a study in the journal Economics and Portfolio Strategy that tracked 452 managed funds from 1990 to 2009,finding that only 13 beat the market average. Equating managed fund directors to snake-oil salesmen, Malkiel said that Wall Street is selling Main Street on the belief that experts can consistently time the market and make accurate predictions of when to buy and sell. They cant. No one can. Not even professional economists and not even for large-scale market indicators. As economics Nobel laureate Paul Samuelson long ago noted in a 1966 Newsweek column: Commentators quote economic studies alleging that market downturns predicted four out of the last five recessions. That is an understatement. Wall Street indexes predicted nine out of the last five recessions!Even in a given tech area, where you might expect a greater level of specific expertise, economic forecasters fumble. On December 22, 2010, for example, the Wall Street Journal ran a piece on how the great hedge fund financier T. Boone Pickens (chair of BP Capital Management) just abandoned his Pickens Plan of investing in wind energy. Pickens invested $2 billion based on his prediction that the price of natural gas would stay high. It didnt, plummeting as the drilling industrys ability to unlock methane from shale beds improved, a turn of events even an expert such as Pickens failed to see.Why are experts (along with us nonexperts) so bad at making predictions? The world is a messy, complex and contingent place with countless intervening variables and confounding factors, which our brains are not equipped to evaluate. We evolved the capacity to make snap decisions based on short-term predictions, not rational analysis about long-term investments, and so we deceive ourselves into thinking that experts can foresee the future. This self-deception among professional prognosticators was investigated by University of California, Berkeley, professor Philip E. Tetlock, as reported in his 2005 book Expert Political Judgment. After testing 284 experts in political science, economics, history and journalism in a staggering 82,361 predictions about the future, Tetlock concluded that they did little better than a dart-throwing chimpanzee.There was one significant factor in greater prediction success, however, and that was cognitive style: foxes who know a little about many things do better than hedgehogs who know a lot about one area of expertise. Low scorers, Tetlock wrote, were thinkers who know one big thing, aggressively extend the explanatoryreach of that one big thing into new domains, display bristly impatience with those who do not get it, and express considerable confidence that they are already pretty proficient forecasters. High scorers in the study were thinkers who know many small things (tricks of their trad e), are sceptical of grand schemes, see explanation and prediction not as deductive exercises but rather as exercises in flexible ad hocery that require stitching together diverse sources of information, and are rather diffident about their own forecasting prowess. Being deeply knowledgeable on one subject narrows focus and increases confidence but also blurs the value of dissenting views and transforms data collection into belief confirmation. One way to avoid being wrong is to be sceptical whenever you catch yourself making predictions based on reducing complex phenomena into one overarching scheme. This type of cognitive trap is why I dont make predictions and why I never will.Q. What is the difference between foxes and hedgehogs?I. Foxes know many little things, while hedgehogs know one big thing.II. Foxes know one big thing, while hedgehogs know many little things.III. Foxes think of themselves as good predictors, while hedgehogs think the opposite of themselves.IV. Foxes do not boast that they are good predictors, while hedgehogs think of themselves as highly skilled.

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Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
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Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for CAT 2024 is part of CAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the CAT exam syllabus. Information about Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for CAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for CAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for CAT Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Thinking negatively, expecting “the worst,” seeing the downside of positive situations, and even downright expecting failure, all convey a kind of backwards- thinking, emotional insurance policy. Our desire to want to be right is a common reason we subconsciously choose negative thinking. Sometimes, as foolish as it sounds, we would rather be right about our negative predictions than have a positive outcome prove us wrong. And since negative thinking leads to negative actions, or no action at all in many cases, by thinking negatively we create a self- fulfilling prediction for ourselves. In other words, we think negatively, predict a negative outcome, act negatively, and then receive a negative outcome that fulfills our prediction.Life simply isn’t black or white - 100% of this or 100% of that - all or nothing. Thinking in extremes like this is a fast way to misery, because negative thinking tends to view any situation that’s less than perfect as being extremely bad. Assigning meaning to a situation before you have the whole story makes you more likely to believe that the uncertainty you feel (based on lack of knowing) is a negative sign. On the flip-side, holding off on assigning meaning to an incomplete story is a primary key to overcoming negative thinking.Q.What could most likely be the source of this passage?a)A philosophical blogb)A psychology journalc)A priest’s sermond)A sociology journale)A behavioural science lectureCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice CAT tests.
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