RESEARCH_FILE
Timothy D. Wilson
University of Virginia
Known for:Affective-forecasting research documenting the 'impact bias' and 'immune neglect' in predictions of future emotion
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“I'm already dreading Christmas dinner”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“The dinner is four hours long. I don’t have to pay for it in advance.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Open a note or slip of paper and write one likely remark and one plain reply under it. Fold it or close the note and put it out of sight for tonight.
Key findings
- 1998
With Gilbert, Pinel, Blumberg and Wheatley, showed across six studies that people neglect their own 'psychological immune system' and reliably overestimate how long negative events will affect them — a phenomenon they termed immune neglect. Immune Neglect: A Source of Durability Bias in Affective Forecasting ↗
- 2003
With Daniel Gilbert, synthesized affective-forecasting research and documented the impact bias: a systematic tendency to overestimate the intensity and duration of emotional reactions to anticipated future events, both good and bad. Affective Forecasting ↗