Gloomy Weather Produces An Improved Thinking Style

Scientists claim that gloomy weather might leave you feeling blue but it's great for the brain.

The negative effect that bad weather has on people's mood actually sharpens their mind, researchers from Australia's University of New South Wales School of Psychology claimed.

Can Sharks Give Advance Warning of Storms?
A new research has suggested that sharks could be used to save lives by giving advance warning of storms, as they can sense minute changes in air pressure .

"People performed much better on our memory test when the weather was unpleasant and they were in a slightly negative mood," The New York Daily News quoted Professor Joe Forgas, who quizzed shoppers at a Sydney store over a period of two months, as saying.

"On bright, sunny days, when they were more likely to be happy and carefree, they flunked it," he noted.

In the study, research team found that those who participated in memory tests were able to recall three times more information when the weather was bad and they were feeling down.

Expert Offers Tips for Avoiding and Treating Warm-Weather Allergies
Every spring, millions of Americans dread the trip to the park, the playground, or participating in any of the myriad outdoor activities that trigger outdoor allergy symptoms.

Sad music was played in the store when the weather was bad and happy music when the weather was sunny to "further influence them towards negative or positive moods," according to Forgas.

"It seems counter-intuitive but a little bit of sadness is a good thing," says Forgas.

Find Out How the Weather Manipulates Your Mood Swings
Ever wondered why you feel energetic and lively on bright sunny days and lacklustre during the dark winter season? Well, researchers from University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada have

The findings have been published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

"More and more evidence from experiments like this is showing that mild, fleeting moods can have a profound yet subconscious influence on how people think and deal with information," Forgas said.

He added: "Being happy tends to promote a thinking style that is less focused on our surroundings. In a positive mood we are more likely to make more snap judgments about people we meet. We are more forgetful and yet we are paradoxically far more likely to be overconfident that our recall is correct.

"Mild negative mood, in turn, tends to increase attention to our surroundings and produce a more careful, thorough thinking style."

Source-ANI
ARU