Gosh, you can get a study to say whatever you want, huh?

but anyway, it's good for a laugh and could also explain why I often have long spells of being very clear thinking.

Quote:

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In a bad mood? Don't worry - according to research, it's good for you.

An Australian psychology expert who has been studying emotions has found being grumpy makes us think more clearly.

In contrast to those annoying happy types, miserable people are better at decision-making and less gullible, his experiments showed.

While cheerfulness fosters creativity, gloominess breeds attentiveness and careful thinking, Professor Joe Forgas told Australian Science Magazine.

'Eeyore days'

The University of New South Wales researcher says a grumpy person can cope with more demanding situations than a happy one because of the way the brain "promotes information processing strategies".


He asked volunteers to watch different films and dwell on positive or negative events in their life, designed to put them in either a good or bad mood.

Next he asked them to take part in a series of tasks, including judging the truth of urban myths and providing eyewitness accounts of events.

Those in a bad mood outperformed those who were jolly - they made fewer mistakes and were better communicators.

Professor Forgas said: "Whereas positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, co-operation and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world."

The study also found that sad people were better at stating their case through written arguments, which Forgas said showed that a "mildly negative mood may actually promote a more concrete, accommodative and ultimately more successful communication style".

His earlier work shows the weather has a similar impact on us - wet, dreary days sharpened memory, while bright sunny spells make people forgetful.

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" to those annoying happy types"
LOL they can be annoying!

Jeesh. I must be one of the more attentive and/or perceptive creatures on the planet, then, given that info !

I think it's a combination of realism and skepticism, and as a result are definitely far less likely to accept poor treatment or fall for lies. If you don't blithely trust 'nice people' you don't actually know (you know, like Tony Blair etc) then moaning about everything you don't like may actually stop it carrying on if enough people do it.

Of course you don't actually have to be miserable while being critical but the two do tend to go together as you can see the true misery and despair where others overlook it. That would make most people grumpy really I suppose.

Has anybody seen the actual study? All I've been able to find online is the BBC report and several blog posts. I'd love to read this study, since as a grumpy person I'm quite skeptical.

Thanks.

This reminds me somehow of the title of a BBC television show. In "Grumpy Old Men", people from 40 until 60 comment on everyday's life. So, according to this show I would be old (46)??? No Way.

And what would I have to call my dad? He's 89.