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
Jimmy the Hand (novel) Jimmy the Hand (novel) Jimmy the Hand is a fantasy novel by American writers Raymond E. Feist and S. M. Stirling. The third and final book in "Legends of the Riftwar" series, it details the story of Jimmy, a 13- to 16-year-old thief, who after aiding Prince Arutha and Princess Anita escape Krondor and running afoul of Guy Du Bas-Tyra's secret police has fled south to the town of Land's End. Assuming the villagers have never encountered someone with his talents he becomes fairly optimistic about broadening his horizons, but is unprepared for what greets him. The story is set