The Power of Positive Thinking The Power of Positive Thinking The Power of Positive Thinking is a self-help book by Norman Vincent Peale, originally published in 1952. It makes use of positive case histories and practical instructions to propose the method of positive thinking. Peale's work describes how to achieve a permanent and optimistic attitude through unending positive conscious thought, usually through affirmations or visualizations. Peale writes that such techniques will give the reader a higher satisfaction and quality of life. Though negatively reviewed by scholars and health experts, "The Power of Positive Thinking" became popular in public opinion when first published and continues in
Counterfactual thinking a new wave of insight beginning in the 1990s began taking a functional perspective, believing that counterfactual thinking served as a largely beneficial behavioral regulator. Although negative affect and biases arise, the overall benefit is positive for human behavior. There are two portions to counterfactual thinking. First, there is the "activation" portion. This activation is whether we allow the counterfactual thought to seep into our conscious thought. The second portion involves "content." This content portion creates the end scenario for the antecedent. The activation portion leads into the mystery of why we allow ourselves to think of other alternatives that