News Psychology Uncertainty is on the rise. Here’s how people can cope People can manage their aversion to uncertainty with some simple tools The ills of uncertainty are well documented. But uncertainty can also help people savor the moment. For instance, it can literally increase people’s likelihood of stopping to smell the roses, one study found. m-imagephotography/Getty Images By Sujata Gupta 1 hour ago The rapid pace of change under the current presidential administration has been amping up people’s feelings of uncertainty. That collective unease can take a toll on societal well-being, researchers say.   “Given that unfamiliarity permeates our current ether … uncertainty can be considered a widespread public health problem,” Emily Hauenstein argued earlier this year in the Archives of Pediatric Nursing. A considerable body of research shows that uncertainty challenges people’s ability to think clearly, sift through information and make sound decisions. This can make people susceptible to cognitive traps. Faced with a volatile environment, some go down every rabbit hole in search of the perfect path forward, only to feel paralyzed by the glut of competing options. Others take the opposite tack, latching onto simplistic explanations for complex problems.   Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.