Have you ever thought about tracing your family
tree? Great, then you probably are already obtaining the benefits to preserving
your family cultural heritage, establishing a connection with the past and
documenting genetic information about your ancestors’ medical history. But have
you ever thought about all of the secondary benefits that come from family tree
research?
Recently a clinical study reported that thinking
positively about our family roots boosts emotional confidence and even
intelligence.
The 2010 study, published in the European Journal of
Social Psychology, comprised four studies that pitted those who think about
their roots versus those who don't before taking a battery of problem solving
and intelligence tests.
In the first study, the subjects consisted of two
experimental groups and a control. A third of the subjects were instructed to
think about their deep roots from the 15th century, another third to think
about their great grandparents, and the control group did no such preparation.
What were the subjects specifically asked to think about?
They were told to imagine their ancestors, how they lived, their professions
and their families, the trials they faced, and what these ancestors would tell
them if they were around today.
Results indicated that both groups that looked back
performed significantly better on the problem-solving test than the control.
