Correlates of Self-Assessed Optimism
What are the bright- and dark-side personality trait, ideological belief, and mind-set correlates of self-assessed optimism? This paper reports on four studies, with a total N > 2000. In each, participants rated to what extent they were an optimist on an 8-point scale (high to low). We obtained d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Current Research in Behavioral Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666518222000249 |
| _version_ | 1797796316026241024 |
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| author | Adrian Furnham Charlotte Robinson |
| author_facet | Adrian Furnham Charlotte Robinson |
| author_sort | Adrian Furnham |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | What are the bright- and dark-side personality trait, ideological belief, and mind-set correlates of self-assessed optimism? This paper reports on four studies, with a total N > 2000. In each, participants rated to what extent they were an optimist on an 8-point scale (high to low). We obtained demographic (age, sex) and ideological (political and religious beliefs) data in each study, as well as self-ratings on four variables (e.g., attractiveness, intelligence) which we aggregated and labelled self-esteem, which had alphas ranging from .70 to .80. We assessed personality, intelligence and other belief systems in different studies. Study 1 showed older, more religious, but less intelligent males with higher self-esteem and Belief in a Just World (BJW) were more optimistic. Study 2 showed older, more religious people, with higher self-esteem were more optimistic. Study 3 showed Open, Extraverted, Agreeable, Emotionally Stable, religious people with higher self-esteem and low on Negative Affectivity and Detachment, but high on Disinhibition, were most optimistic. Study 4 showed older, more religious people with higher self-esteem and lower Dweck fixed personality mindset beliefs were more optimistic. The concept and correlates of dispositional optimism and its measurement are discussed. Limitations and implications are noted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T03:31:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-48d78bd6e2614034ad77614d6f6ec181 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-5182 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T03:31:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Research in Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-48d78bd6e2614034ad77614d6f6ec1812023-06-24T05:19:10ZengElsevierCurrent Research in Behavioral Sciences2666-51822023-01-014100089Correlates of Self-Assessed OptimismAdrian Furnham0Charlotte Robinson1Department of Leadership and Organisational Behaviour, Norwegian Business School (BI), Nydalveien, Olso, Norway; Corresponding authorDepartment of Psychology, University of BathWhat are the bright- and dark-side personality trait, ideological belief, and mind-set correlates of self-assessed optimism? This paper reports on four studies, with a total N > 2000. In each, participants rated to what extent they were an optimist on an 8-point scale (high to low). We obtained demographic (age, sex) and ideological (political and religious beliefs) data in each study, as well as self-ratings on four variables (e.g., attractiveness, intelligence) which we aggregated and labelled self-esteem, which had alphas ranging from .70 to .80. We assessed personality, intelligence and other belief systems in different studies. Study 1 showed older, more religious, but less intelligent males with higher self-esteem and Belief in a Just World (BJW) were more optimistic. Study 2 showed older, more religious people, with higher self-esteem were more optimistic. Study 3 showed Open, Extraverted, Agreeable, Emotionally Stable, religious people with higher self-esteem and low on Negative Affectivity and Detachment, but high on Disinhibition, were most optimistic. Study 4 showed older, more religious people with higher self-esteem and lower Dweck fixed personality mindset beliefs were more optimistic. The concept and correlates of dispositional optimism and its measurement are discussed. Limitations and implications are noted.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666518222000249OptimismSelf-esteemWell-beingHappinessDispositional |
| spellingShingle | Adrian Furnham Charlotte Robinson Correlates of Self-Assessed Optimism Current Research in Behavioral Sciences Optimism Self-esteem Well-being Happiness Dispositional |
| title | Correlates of Self-Assessed Optimism |
| title_full | Correlates of Self-Assessed Optimism |
| title_fullStr | Correlates of Self-Assessed Optimism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Correlates of Self-Assessed Optimism |
| title_short | Correlates of Self-Assessed Optimism |
| title_sort | correlates of self assessed optimism |
| topic | Optimism Self-esteem Well-being Happiness Dispositional |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666518222000249 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT adrianfurnham correlatesofselfassessedoptimism AT charlotterobinson correlatesofselfassessedoptimism |