Pollyanna principle Pollyanna principle The Pollyanna principle (also called Pollyannaism or positivity bias) is the tendency for people to remember pleasant items more accurately than unpleasant ones. Research indicates that at the subconscious level, the mind has a tendency to focus on the optimistic; while at the conscious level, it has a tendency to focus on the negative. This subconscious bias towards the positive is often described as the Pollyanna principle and is similar to the Forer effect. The name derives from the 1913 novel "Pollyanna" by Eleanor H. Porter describing a girl who plays the "glad game"—trying to find something to
Harlow S. Person Harlow S. Person Harlow Stafford Person (February 16, 1875 – November 7, 1955) was an American economist, Professor of Management and first Dean at the Amos Tuck School of Business, and later secretary and key figure in the Taylor Society. Person was born in Republican City, Nebraska in 1875, son of Rollin Harlow Person and Ida (Madden) Person. After attending the public schools in Howell, Michigan, he studied economics at the University of Michigan. He obtained his PhB in 1899, his MA in 1900, and his PhD in 1902. His PhD thesis was on scientific management. After his graduating from