In this article, we will Discuss the Two Dominant Perspectives in Optimism.
Two Dominant Perspectives in Optimism.
Optimism is the general tendency to expect positive outcomes and to view situations and events in a positive light. It is an important psychological construct that has been associated with various positive outcomes, such as better physical and mental health, greater life satisfaction, and improved coping with stress and adversity. There are two dominant perspectives in optimism: the dispositional perspective and the cognitive perspective. These perspectives offer different views on the nature and development of optimism.
1. Dispositional Optimism Model by Scheier and Carver:
The Dispositional Perspective on optimism focuses on an individual’s personality and traits as the main predictors of optimism. Scheier and Carver proposed a model of dispositional optimism that suggests that optimism is a stable individual difference variable that is relatively resistant to change. This model argues that individuals differ in their general expectation of positive versus negative outcomes, which is reflected in their dispositional optimism.
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According to Scheier and Carver, dispositional optimism is comprised of two components: a positive outcome expectation and a negative outcome expectation. People high in dispositional optimism tend to have a greater positive outcome expectation, which means they expect positive outcomes more often than negative outcomes. People low in dispositional optimism tend to have a greater negative outcome expectation, which means they expect negative outcomes more often than positive outcomes.
2. Optimism as an Explanatory Style by Seligman:
The Cognitive Perspective on optimism suggests that optimism is a cognitive style that can be learned and changed through cognitive restructuring. Seligman proposed a theory of optimism as an explanatory style, which suggests that people differ in how they explain the causes of events and these explanations can lead to either an optimistic or pessimistic outlook.
According to Seligman, an optimistic explanatory style is characterized by explaining negative events as temporary, specific, and external, while positive events are explained as permanent, global, and internal. On the other hand, a pessimistic explanatory style is characterized by explaining negative events as permanent, global, and internal, while positive events are explained as temporary, specific, and external.
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Seligman argues that optimistic people have a more positive outlook because they interpret negative events more adaptively and focus on the positive aspects of their experiences. In contrast, pessimistic people tend to interpret negative events in a more maladaptive way and focus on the negative aspects of their experiences.
In conclusion, both the dispositional perspective and the cognitive perspective offer valuable insights into the nature and development of optimism. The dispositional optimism model by Scheier and Carver focuses on an individual’s personality and traits as the main predictors of optimism, while the optimism as an explanatory style by Seligman focuses on an individual’s cognitive style as the main predictor of optimism.
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