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
Albert S. Porter Albert S. Porter Albert S. Porter (November 4, 1904 – January 7, 1979) was an American politician from Ohio. Porter was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, to Albert S. and Lena Edmonds Porter. He moved with his family to Lakewood in 1913, graduated from Lakewood High School in 1922 and from Ohio State University with his B.S. in civil engineering in 1928. In 1929 he joined the Cleveland Highway Research Bureau, becoming chief assistant to county engineer John O. McWilliams in 1933 and served until 1943, when he succeeded him. He also served five years in United States Navy during World