New research suggests that thinking too much about something can actually cause pain.
The American Psychological Association recently published new research proving that mental effort can lead to negative emotions and frustration.
The study was published Monday in APA’s monthly journal, Psychological Bulletin.
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Data collected from 29 countries and a variety of professions suggests that mental effort is perceived as aversive and that discomfort applies to certain groups with certain characteristics. Distressing thoughts seem to affect people in Asian countries less than other groups.
The woman sitting on the sofa appears to be deep in thought. (BSIP/Universal Image Group via Getty Images)
The study, titled “The discomfort of thinking: a meta-analytic review of the association between mental effort and negative emotions,” derived its conclusions from a meta-analysis of 170 studies.
The study was based on 125 papers published between 2019 and 2020 and involved 4,670 subjects.
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The results demonstrated a strong positive correlation between mental effort and negative emotions, although this could vary depending on the type of task and the feedback received.
Additionally, whether participants had completed a college education also influenced the results.
Frustrated business woman suffering from headache and crumpling paper
The occupations studied were diverse, including medical workers, military personnel, amateur athletes, and university students.
The 358 tasks studied varied in the amount of mental effort felt by each participant. For all participants and all tasks, the greater the mental effort, the greater the discomfort.
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The study concluded that employers and education professionals believe it is “prudent to support and reward” students and employees who take on mentally challenging work.
