Optimism Definition Essay

Optimism is a mental attitude or world view that interprets situations and events as being best (optimized), pith that in some elan for factors that may not be fully comprehended, the present moment is in an optimum state. The design is typic entirelyy extended to include the attitude of hope for future conditions unfolding as optimal as well. The more broad concept of optimism is the understanding that each of nature, past, present and future, operates by laws of optimization along the lines of Hamiltons principle of optimization in the realm of physics. This understanding, although criticized by counter views such as pessimism, idealism and realism, leads to a state of mind that believes everything is as it should be, and that the future lead be as well. A common idiom employ to illustrate optimism versus pessimism is a glass with pee at the halfway point, where the optimist is said to see the glass as half full, but the pessimist sees the glass as half empty.The word is or iginally derived from the Latin optimum, meaning best. Being optimistic, in the typical sense of the word, ultimately means one expects the best possible outcome from any given situation. This is usually referred to in psychological science as dispositional optimism. Researchers sometimes operationalize the term variously depending on their research, until now. For example, Martin Seligman and his fellow researchers define it in terms of explanatory style, which is based on the way one explains breeding events.As for any peculiarity sourceistic, there are several ways to evaluate optimism, such as various forms of the Life Orientation Test, for the original description of optimism, or the Attributional Style Questionnaire designed to test optimism in terms of explanatory style. While the herit qualification of optimism is largely debatable, most researchers agree that it seems to be a biological trait to some small degree, but it is also thought that optimism has more to do w ithenvironmental factors, making it a largely learned trait.1 It has also been suggested that optimism could appear to be a hereditary trait because it is actually a manifestation of combined traits that are mostly heritable, like intelligence, temperament and alcoholism.2 Optimism may also be joined to health.explanatory styleExplanatory style is different, though related to, the more traditional, narrower definition of optimism. This broader concept is based on the theory that optimism and pessimism are drawn from the particular way people explain events. There are three dimensions within typical explanations, which include internal versus external, stable versus unstable, and global versus specific. Optimistic justifications toward negative experiences are attributed to factors extraneous the self (external), are not likely to occur consistently (unstable), and are limited specific life domains (specific). Positive experiences would be optimistically labeled as the opposite int ernal, stable, global.4There is much debate about the relationship between explanatory style and optimism. Some researchers argue that there is not much deflection at all optimism is just the lay term for what scientists call explanatory style.5 Others argue that explanatory style is exclusive to its concept and should not be similar with optimism.67 It is generally thought that, though they should not be used interchangeably, dispositional optimism and explanatory style are at least marginally related. Ultimately, the problem is simply that more research must be done to either define a bridge or further differentiate between these concepts.PhilosophyPhilosophers often link concept of optimism with the name of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who held that we live in the best of all possible worlds, or that God created a physiological universe that applies the laws of physics, which Voltaire famously mocked in his satiric novel Candide. The philosophical pessimism of William Godwin de monstrated perhaps even more optimism than Leibniz. He hoped that society would eventually reach the state where calm reason would replace all violence and force, that mind could eventually make matter subservient to it, and that intelligence could discover the secret of immortality. Much of this philosophy is exemplified in the Houyhnhnms of Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels.PanglossianismThe term panglossianism describes baseless optimism of the sort exemplified by the beliefs of Pangloss from Voltaires Candide, which are the opposite of his fellow traveller Martins pessimism and emphasis on free will. The phrase panglossian pessimism has been used to describe the pessimistic position that, since this is the best of all possible worlds, it is impossible for anything to get any violate. The panglossian paradigm is a term coined by Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Lewontin to refer to the touch sensation that everything has specifically adapted to suit specific purposes. Instead, the y argue, accidents and exaptation (the use of old features for new purposes) play an important role in the process of evolution.Some other scientists however argue the implication that many (or most) adaptionists are panglossians is a straw man. Why People Believe Weird Things Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time Michael Shermer relates Frank J. Tipler to Voltaires character Pangloss to show how clever people deceive themselves. Shermer explores the psychology of scholars and business men who give up their careers in their pursuit to broadcast their paranormal beliefs. In his get going chapter, added to the revised version, Shermer explains that smart people can be more susceptible to believing in weird things.OptimalismOptimalism, as defined by Nicholas Rescher, holds that this universe exists because it is better than the alternatives.8 While this philosophy does not exclude the possibility of a deity, it also doesnt require one, and is compatible with at heism.9 The positive psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar uses optimalism to mean willingness to accept blow dapple remaining confident that success will follow, a positive attitude he contrasts with negative perfectionism.10 Perfectionism can be defined as a lasting compulsive drive toward unattainable goals and valuation based solely in terms of accomplishment.11 Perfectionists reject the realities and constraints of human ability. They cannot accept failures, delaying any ambitious and productive mien in fear of failure again. 12This neuroticism can even lead to clinical depression and low productivity.13As an alternative to negative perfectionism Ben-Shahar suggests the adoption of optimalism. Optimalism allows for failure in pursuit of a goal, and expects that while the trend of activity will tend towards the positive it is not necessary to always succeed while air to attain goals. This basis in reality prevents the optimalist from being overwhelmed in the face of failure.10 Optima lists accept failures and also learn from them, which encourages further pursuit of achievement.14 Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar believes that Optimalists and Perfectionists show distinct different motives. Optimalists tend to have more intrinsic, inward desires, with a motivation to learn. While perfectionists are highly motivated by a need to consistently call down themselves worthy.AssessmentLife Orientation Test (LOT)Designed by Scheier and Carver (1985), this is one of the more popular tests of optimism and pessimism. There are eight measurements (and an additional quartette filler items), with four positively (In uncertain times, I usually expect the best) and four negatively (If something can go wrong for me, it will) worded items.15 The LOT has been revised twiceonce by the original creators (LOT-R) and also by Chang, Maydeu-Olivares, and DZurilla as the Extended Life Orientation Test (ELOT). all(a) three are most commonly used because they are based on dispositional optimism, which s imply means expecting positive outcomes.16Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ)This questionnaire created by Peterson et al. (1982) is based on the explanatory style definition of optimism. It lists six positive and negative events (you have been looking for a job unsuccessfully for some time), and asks the respondents to record a possible cause for the event and rate the internality, stability, and globality of the event.17 An optimistic person is one who perceives good things happening to them as internal, stable, and global. There are several modified versions of the ASQ including the spread out Attributional Style Questionnaire (EASQ), theContent Analysis of Verbatim Explanations (CAVE), and the ASQ designed for testing the optimism for children.16HealthResearch has emerged showing the relationships between several psychological constructs and health. Optimism is one of these concepts and has been shown to explain between 510% of the variation in the likelihood of developing some health conditions (correlation coefficients between .20 and .30),18 notably including cardiovascular disease,1920212223 stroke,24depression,2526 and cancer.212728 Furthermore, optimists have been shown to live healthier lifestyles which may knead disease. For example, optimists smoke less, are more physically ready, consume more fruit, vegetables and whole-grain bread, and consume more moderate amounts of alcohol.29The relationship between optimism and health has also been studied with regards to physical symptoms, coping strategies and negative affect for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and fibromyalgia. It has been found that among individuals with these diseases, optimists are not more likely than pessimists to report pain alleviation due to coping strategies, despite differences in psychological well-being between the two groups.30 A meta-analysis has confirmed the assumption that optimism is related to psychological well-being Put simply, optimists eme rge from severe circumstances with less distress than do pessimists.31Furthermore, the correlation appears to be attributable to coping style That is, optimists seem intent on facing problems head-on, taking active and constructive steps to solve their problems pessimists are more likely to abandon their effort to attain their goals.31 It should be noted that research to date has demonstrated that optimists are less likely to have certain diseases or develop certain diseases over time. By comparison, research has not yet been able to demonstrate the ability to change an individuals level of optimism through psychological intervention, and thereby alter the course of disease or likelihood for development of disease.