Self Tests > Health > Discounting the Positives Test
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Discounting the Positives Test

15 Questions
3 Minutes

Do you discount the positives in life?

Discounting the positive is a self-sabotaging way of thinking. A person who harbors this biased thinking pattern leans toward negative appraisals of life. They dismiss their positive experiences and successes and focus on the “glass half empty” instead. See where you fall on this cognitive distortion scale.

Using the key below, answer the questions based on how strongly you agree or disagree with the statement.

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Strongly Agree
Agree
1. When a person pays you a compliment, you deflect with self-deprecation.
Disagree
Agree
2. Your presentation is a success, but you think only about the wrong calculation you made.
Disagree
Agree
3. You are organizing an upcoming event, and believe it will turn out badly.
Disagree
Agree
4. You receive recognition on a project, but you downplay your contribution to it.
Disagree
Agree
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5. You get positive feedback on your report, yet you focus on a minor suggestion for improvement.
Disagree
Agree
6. You tend to remember the hassles associated with travel, even if the trip was an overall successful.
Disagree
Agree
7. People praise you on your speech, but you pass it off as dumb luck.
Disagree
Agree
8. You get a promotion, but you think anyone in your role might have qualified for it.
Disagree
Agree
9. You get a dinner party invitation, though you think the host just feels sorry for you.
Disagree
Agree
10. You avoid disappointment by expecting the worst to happen.
Disagree
Agree
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11. When people express affection for you, you think that if they knew the “real me,” they wouldn't feel that way.
Disagree
Agree
12. When you do something well, you move on to the next task without ever taking time to feel good about it.
Disagree
Agree
13. Someone expresses interest in or attraction to you, but you assume, they don’t know the “real” you yet.
Disagree
Agree
14. When friends thank you for your help, you think anyone could have done it—it wasn't a big deal.
Disagree
Agree
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15. If you earned a good grade on a paper or test, you tell yourself that had it been harder, you would have done poorly.
Disagree
Agree
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Who Is This Test For?

This test is for anyone who wants to examine their negative thinking. It’s designed for adults and is not intended to be prescriptive.

We value your privacy - see how we protect the info you provide when you take this test.

How to Get Help

You can also seek the help of a health professional; find one near you in the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

Sources

Cognitive Behavior Therapy. StatPearls, NCBI. S.P. Chand, et al.

The processes of causal attribution. American Psychologist. H.H. Kelley.

Cognitive Distortions and Suicide Attempts. Cognitive Therapy and Research. S. Jager-Hyman, et al.

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