Is The 'Ostrich Effect' Messing With Your Life? Here's What To Do.

The "ostrich effect" is named for a common myth about these flightless birds.

People today have access to more information than ever before in human history, but that doesn’t mean we want to know everything.

In fact, many folks lean into a common tendency called “the ostrich effect” when confronted with a prospect or news they’d prefer to keep far from their consciousness. This instinct can lead to serious problems down the road, however.

So how exactly does the ostrich effect impact our lives? Is it all bad, or are there any upsides? Below, experts break it down.

First, what exactly is the ostrich effect?

“The ostrich effect is a cognitive bias where we filter out, ignore or otherwise avoid negative or distressing information,” Caitlyn Oscarson, a licensed marriage and family therapist, told HuffPost.

This term is related to a common myth about ostriches ― that they bury their heads in the sand when frightened or threatened by predators.

“The ostrich effect is when people bury their head in the sand, engaging in avoidance and denial, hoping the problem will go away,” said Dr. Sue Varma, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at New York University Grossman School of Medicine and author of “Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being.”

“Interestingly, ostriches don’t bury their head in the sand,” she added. “But the myth persists because it may appear that way when they’re protecting their eggs or eating plants from the ground.”

In humans’ everyday lives, the ostrich effect might manifest when you avoid looking at your bank account or bills, or when you don’t tell someone you’re upset with them over something to steer clear of a confrontation.

“A student who doesn’t check their grades after a difficult exam, or you not going to the doctor because you fear finding out about a health problem or diagnosis are a couple of examples,” Oscarson explained. “In all these cases, there is a concrete, real situation that we avoid dealing with because we believe it would be distressing emotionally to face it.”

She noted that the ostrich effect might also be present when there’s information we fear might threaten an idea we have about ourselves.

“For example, a student may avoid looking at their grades because a poor grade would indicate that they are not the smart, good student they imagine themselves to be,” Oscarson said.

How can the ostrich effect cause........

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