4 ms·

There's a term for when people gravitate to worst case scenarios not because the worst case scenario is likely, but because it is easy to imagine. I forget the

There's a term for when people gravitate to worst case scenarios not because the worst case scenario is likely, but because it is easy to imagine. I forget the term.

rxhernandez 8y ago
I think the term you're looking for is ethical engineering; you probably saw something like it at an ABET accredited university.
- vpribish 8y ago
  no, that would not be the term. Here are some candidates "awfulizing" from Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy https://qz.com/989112/how-to-stop-jumping-to-the-worst-case-scenario-according-to-evolutionary-psychology/ https://qz.com/989112/how-to-stop-jumping-to-the-worst-case-... "Catastrophizing" https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/catastrophizing-always-assuming-the-worse-heres-why-you-should-stop.htm https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/catastrophizing-... "Catastrophic Thinking" https://psychcentral.com/blog/catastrophic-thinking-when-your-mind-clings-to-worst-case-scenarios/ https://psychcentral.com/blog/catastrophic-thinking-when-you...
Jach 8y ago
I can't think of any other term than worst-case thinking, and this post by Schneier: http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/12/schneier.worst.case.thinking/ http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/12/schneier.worst.case.th... There's more going on than just that though. It's like we've collectively forgotten that technology is double-edged. Maybe things like Black Mirror that people are referencing a lot (I haven't watched any of it so someone can correct me) only focus on one edge and that leads to things like availability bias. If popular media drives a lot of the heuristic when thinking about technology it's perhaps no wonder when not much of it is uplifting.
StavrosK 8y ago
Availability heuristic?
notyourday 8y ago
Is it because we continue to believe that police departments in a town with two cops and a few hundred citizens dont buy $1MM or so of military equipment?

There's a term for when people gravitate to worst case scenarios not because the worst case scenario is likely, but because it is easy to imagine. I forget the term.

rxhernandez 8y ago

I think the term you're looking for is ethical engineering; you probably saw something like it at an ABET accredited university.

vpribish 8y ago
no, that would not be the term. Here are some candidates "awfulizing" from Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy https://qz.com/989112/how-to-stop-jumping-to-the-worst-case-scenario-according-to-evolutionary-psychology/ https://qz.com/989112/how-to-stop-jumping-to-the-worst-case-... "Catastrophizing" https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/catastrophizing-always-assuming-the-worse-heres-why-you-should-stop.htm https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/catastrophizing-... "Catastrophic Thinking" https://psychcentral.com/blog/catastrophic-thinking-when-your-mind-clings-to-worst-case-scenarios/ https://psychcentral.com/blog/catastrophic-thinking-when-you...

Jach 8y ago

I can't think of any other term than worst-case thinking, and this post by Schneier: http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/12/schneier.worst.case.thinking/ http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/12/schneier.worst.case.th... There's more going on than just that though. It's like we've collectively forgotten that technology is double-edged. Maybe things like Black Mirror that people are referencing a lot (I haven't watched any of it so someone can correct me) only focus on one edge and that leads to things like availability bias. If popular media drives a lot of the heuristic when thinking about technology it's perhaps no wonder when not much of it is uplifting.

StavrosK 8y ago

Availability heuristic?

notyourday 8y ago

Is it because we continue to believe that police departments in a town with two cops and a few hundred citizens dont buy $1MM or so of military equipment?