Individuals with a negative problem orientation address problems in a non-functional way when they meet them. What is a negative problem orientation, and how can we avoid its impacts?

Problem orientation refers to the affective and cognitive features that people exhibit in the presence of issues, whereas problem-solving style refers to the behavioral and cognitive traits that people exhibit in the face of problems. People with a negative problem orientation are unable to conduct logical problem-solving functions. 

Negative problem orientation is characterized as a disruptive cognitive-emotional stance, or attitude, toward problems that involve a perceived threat to well-being, self-inefficacy or skepticism about one’s problem-solving capacity, a tendency to be pessimistic about the outcome, and poor frustration tolerance. Positive problem orientation, on the other hand, has been defined as a constructive cognitive framework characterized by perceived difficulty, self-efficacy, and optimistic end expectancy. 

Because negative problem orientation has been uniquely related to various mental disorders, it has a direct impact on problem-solving abilities, particularly as it relates to psychiatric problems.

What is a negative problem-solving orientation?

Negative problem orientation implies that the individual has unfavorable reactions to the problems they confront. People who have a negative problem orientation see the difficulties they confront as threats, thus, their emotional reactions are negative as well. Another characteristic of persons with negative problem orientation is a lack of trust in their own problem-solving skills and abilities. When a person exhibits negative reactions when confronted with a challenging circumstance, it either adversely motivates them to tackle the problem and find a solution or leads to reluctance, frequently to the point of avoiding action.

The negative problem-solving orientation consists of the following:

• Feelings of helplessness: Negative problem-solving orientation conveys the feeling of ‘I can’. It then progresses to more complicated reactions such as asking, attempting to meet our needs verbally, and difficulty in acceptable to seek assistance. Many childhood experiences will distort this adaptive learning, generating negative beliefs that stay in the way of acting as an agent of change. 

• The tendency to see issues as threats, such as roadblocks or impediments (chronic negative thinking), rather than learning opportunities: Many social problems/conflicts are ambiguous, hazy, unclear, and uncertain, making it difficult to predict the outcome of a solution. A critical first step is to define the problem: what is it that is upsetting me right now? Where do I want to be in relation to the problem/situation? People with negative problem-solving orientation don’t do that, they tend to see all issues as blocks, without taking action or leaving room for errors and mistakes.

• Having no faith in one’s abilities: There people are frequently locked into acting in accordance with rules of behavior (what is ‘nice’ or ‘right’ to do): staying in a betrayal relationship because it is the right thing to do for the children; not raising an issue with a boss because it is not pleasant to complain. This is because they believe that cannot work on the problem, so they accept what is.

• Fearing the future: It includes a pessimistic view of the future will never inspire action to address the issue (hopelessness). It causes people to lose motivation to continue working on the problem since they fear what the outcome will be.

Individuals with positive problem orientation, as opposed to negative problem orientation, believe that the problems they face can be solved or conquered. Those with positive problem orientation identify problems and, unlike those with negative problem orientation, believe that the problems can be solved. Rather than seeing issues as threats, they see them as chances for progress, and they believe they can address the problems they encounter. Having a positive problem orientation, as opposed to a negative problem orientation, drives people to solve and overcome the problems, difficulties, and barriers they confront.

How to develop a positive problem-solving orientation?

Recognize that there is a problem. 

While it may appear to be an obvious step, recognizing the problem is not always as straightforward as it appears. In rare circumstances, people may identify the incorrect source of an issue, rendering attempts to remedy it ineffective or even futile. Some methods for determining the cause of a problem are as follows:

• Posing problems-related inquiries
• Dividing the problem into smaller pieces
• Examining the subject from many angles

Define the Issue

After identifying the problem, it is critical to properly characterize the problem so that it may be solved. A problem can be defined by operationally identifying each part of the problem and establishing goals for which aspects of the problem you will handle. You should now concentrate on determining which components of the difficulties are facts and which are opinions. Clearly define the problem and the scope of the remedy.

Gather Information 

You must first organize the available facts before coming up with a solution. What information do you have regarding the problem? What do you not understand? The more knowledge you have, the better prepared you will be to find an exact solution. When approaching a challenge, it is critical to ensure that you have all of the necessary facts. Making a decision without sufficient knowledge can result in biased or erroneous outcomes.

Track your progress

After deciding on a problem-solving strategy, it is time to put the plan into action and see how well it works. This step may entail experimenting with various solutions to determine which one is the most successful. It is also critical to monitor the situation following the implementation of a solution to confirm that the problem has been resolved and that no new problems have arisen as a result of the proposed remedy.

It is crucial to realize that there are other problem-solving methods with various steps, and this is only one example. Real-world problem-solving necessitates a tremendous level of inventiveness, flexibility, resilience, and constant contact with the environment.