title: Why are Optimists Optimistic?
abstract: This study examined what is brought to mind when responding to the items comprising a measure of dispositional optimism. Participants (N = 113) completed the Life Orientation Test and the COPE, a measure of coping style, and described why they responded the way they did to the items assessing optimism. Participants' explanations comprised eight types of reasoning: (1) faith in a higher power; (2) belief in fate or a just world; (3) personal fortune; (4) belief in the role of one's own ability; (5) reliance on idioms; (6) beliefs about the usefulness of thinking optimistically; (7) matter-of-fact statements; and (8) a feeling, intuition, or hope. These types were also related to coping styles. Responses to positively-worded items were explained with respect to external forces and responses to negatively-worded items were explained with respect to internal forces. Understanding how people explain their optimism may be the first step in fostering this outlook.
authors.affiliation: Stony Brook University.
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sohl
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moyer
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lukin
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Knapp-Oliver