Insecurities are simply not knowing. Uncertainty is that state in which you wait to learn if your job interview went well, whether the biopsy was negative or if it’s true you are pregnant. Not knowing which candidate is the best or what brand of vehicle will last the longest. Not knowing answers to existential questions like: why am I here, is also a problem. What will happen? The majority of research has been focused on the negative effects, especially anxiety. Jessica Alquist, an experimental psychology researcher and professor at Texas Tech University, says that researchers are now looking into the benefits of uncertainty. Alquist, an experimental psychologist and researcher at Texas Tech University, and Roy Baumeister – a social psychology at Constructor University Bremen in Germany – examined the research on this topic and discovered that learning to embrace uncertainty, or to at least learn to cope with it more effectively, can bring about some important benefits. Their findings were published in October in Current Directions in Psychological Science.
Loving uncertainty can make you less gullible
According to studies, people who feel uncomfortable in the face of uncertainty are more likely than others to believe fabricated news headlines. Alquist says that the reason for this may be that having no knowledge is uncomfortable, making it easier to accept false information. Alquist describes an experiment where people were asked to rate their familiarity with a set of totally made-up subjects. The people who felt the most uncertain were more inclined to claim that they knew a fake topic. Maybe people who seem to be experts on any subject — we know all at least one of them — are not as showy after all. It could be that they have difficulty with uncertainty. They may cope by convincing themselves they know everything, or that they are.
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Instability Can Enhance Learning
Being comfortable with instability can help you avoid scams. Learning can be improved. You’ll be aware of the things that you do not know if you are comfortable with the uncertainty. Alquist says that this is a great asset. The ability to admit that we don’t have the answers to certain questions or don’t really know what will happen can encourage us to look for information. This leads us to become better students and may even reduce the uncertainty. It is also a great advantage to be able live in a state of uncertainty. This can help us prepare for what we don’t know. Alquist says that when we are so afraid of uncertainty, that we try to pretend that it does not exist, that’s when we stop preparing for the unknown. It’s an excellent signal to get us moving. This is a great motivator.
How to be comfortable with uncertainty
You can increase your tolerance of uncertainty, and reap its benefits. You can work with a trained professional who will help you to gradually expose yourself in a safe way to situations that are uncertain. There are things that you can do safely on your own. Some of them might even be enjoyable.
Alquist suggests starting small. You’re a rock n roll fanatic? Try opera for a change. Try a different type of food or an alternative way to cook your favorite dish. Start a chat with someone on the bus. It’s uncomfortable to be uncertain. This is How to Learn To Live with It (19459006)
Sources for Articles Our Discovermagazine.com writers use high-quality peer-reviewed sources and studies for their articles. They are also reviewed by our editors for accuracy, scientific standards and editorial standards. Check out the following sources for this article.
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Recent Directions in Psychological Science. Avery Hurt, a science journalist and freelancer, is the author of Learning to Love Uncertainty (19659017). She writes for Discover as well as for other publications, such National Geographic, Science News Explores and Medscape. She is the author of Bullet With Your Name On It: What Will You Probably Die from and What Can You Do about It? Clerisy Press 2007 as well as a number of books for children. Avery began her career in journalism as a student, when she wrote for the university newspaper and edited the non-fiction magazine. She is interested in all aspects of science but has a particular interest in AI, neuroscience and the science of conscious.
Recent Directions in Psychological Science. Avery Hurt, a science journalist and freelancer, is the author of Learning to Love Uncertainty (19659017). She writes for Discover as well as for other publications, such National Geographic, Science News Explores and Medscape. She is the author of Bullet With Your Name On It: What Will You Probably Die from and What Can You Do about It? Clerisy Press 2007 as well as a number of books for children. Avery began her career in journalism as a student, when she wrote for the university newspaper and edited the non-fiction magazine. She is interested in all aspects of science but has a particular interest in AI, neuroscience and the science of conscious.
