Which type of thinking dismisses all positive possibilities due to a single negative experience?

The correct choice is overgeneralization, which involves drawing broad conclusions from a single negative experience. In this type of thinking, an individual assumes that if something bad has happened once, it will inevitably happen again in similar situations, disregarding any positive outcomes or experiences. For instance, if someone faces rejection in one area of their life, they might conclude they will always be rejected, leading to a pervasive negative mindset.

Recognizing overgeneralization is crucial as it can significantly affect one’s outlook and decision-making processes. It can overshadow the multitude of positive possibilities and opportunities that exist, as it tends to focus solely on negative patterns. Thus, individuals engaging in this form of thinking may miss valuable chances to succeed or grow due to their narrow focus on past failures.

In contrast, other choices do not encapsulate the same essence of dismissing all positives due to a single negative event. Rationalization involves justifying actions or beliefs without acknowledging the truth, while tabloid thinking refers to sensationalist or superficial reasoning. Negative bias indicates a tendency to focus more on negative information than on positive, but it does not strictly relate to the idea of discarding all positive possibilities based on a single negative incident.