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Multiple studies have investigated the role of optimism in people undergoing treatment for cancer (e.g., Carver et al., 1993 Schou, Ekeberg, & Ruland, 2005). Optimism also plays a role in the recovery from illness and disease. Considering that, for a middle-aged person of average health, the difference between sudden death risk factors for smokers and non-smokers is 5-10%, the protective effect of optimism found in this study is massive. The researchers found that for every 10 point increase in a person’s score on their optimism scale, the risk of early death decreased by 19%. Optimism was operationalized using parts of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. With a large longitudinal sample collected in the mid-1960s, the researchers categorized medical patients as optimistic, mixed, or pessimistic.

Maruta, Colligan, Malinchoc, and Offord (2000) examined whether explanatory styles served as risk factors for early death. Optimism and Physical Healthįew outcomes are more important than staying alive, and optimism is linked to life longevity. Optimistic mothers even deliver healthier, heavier babies (Lobel, DeVincent, Kaminer, & Meyer, 2000)! Optimism seems to have a tremendous number of benefits consider several detailed below. Pessimism has been linked with depression, stress, and anxiety (Kamen & Seligman, 1987), whereas optimism has been shown to serve as a protective factor against depression, as well as a number of serious medical problems, including coronary heart disease (Tindle et al., 2009). Did it happen because of me (internal) or something or someone else (external)? Will this always happen to me (stable) or can I change what caused it (unstable)? Is this something that affects all aspects of my life (pervasive) or was it a solitary occurrence (limited)? Pessimistic people tend to view problems as internal, unchangeable, and pervasive, whereas optimistic people are the opposite. Explanatory styles reflect three attributions that a person forms about a recent event. I tend to do well in other subjects.” These students are exhibiting two types of what psychologists call “explanatory styles”. I can’t do anything right!” The second student thinks, “This test was difficult! Oh well, it’s just one test in one class. The first student thinks, “I’m such a failure! I always do poorly in this subject. Imagine two students who receive the same poor grade on an exam. Optimistic Explanatory Style: Making Sense of Bad Events This section will review what is known about the benefits of optimism and evidence suggesting optimism is a learnable skill. For simplicity’s sake, the studies discussed herein will talk about people at the higher end of the spectrum as optimists and people on the lower end as pessimists.

People can also change their levels of optimism depending on the situations they are in. Of course, optimism, like other psychological states and characteristics, exists on a continuum. Specifically, optimistic people believe that negative events are temporary, limited in scope (instead of pervading every aspect of a person’s life), and manageable. Martin Seligman defines optimism as reacting to problems with a sense of confidence and high personal ability. Optimism is a trait that should become more common, judging by Winston Churchill’s famous quote that “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Recent research indicates that optimists and pessimists approach problems differently, and their ability to cope successfully with adversity differs as a result. Gratitude is associated with optimism and has been determined that grateful people are happier, receive more social support, are less stressed, and are less depressed. Optimism has been proven to improve the immune system, prevent chronic disease, and help people cope with unfortunate news. The Bottom Line: Mindfulness & Positive thinking are herein derived from two main attributes optimism and gratitude.

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Symptoms of Depression & Depression Prevention with Science of Happiness.

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