That is: Optimism and pessimism can affect our physical and mental well-being. Both are feelings of expectations; arising from the state of our mind and depend on the way we experience the forces of faith or fear. Or are you yourself one of those people who is full of optimism? A classic choice is whether to assume the best or the worst thing will happen. Pessimism: Optimism: The term pessimism, derived from the Latin word for worst, pessimus, is defined as a state of mind, wherein a person’s perception of life is predominantly marked by ‘negativity’. Who should have a more difficult time accepting reality when it hurts? Often enough, I use strategic optimism and defensive pessimism to make decisions. Pessimists expect the worst. Optimism is also hardly desirable if, for example, a pilot is deciding whether a plane should take off during an ice-storm. People tend to label themselves and others as either optimistic or pessimistic but to do so is overly simplistic. . If you’re sure that optimism is the most positive attitude, consider . Hardships are seen as "learning experiences" by optimists, and even the most miserable day always holds the promise for them that "tomorrow will probably be better." Optimism is a belief that you can make realistic small and large goals in your life and achieve many of them and also a belief which is not always justified that the good events in life will be more frequent … Pessimism: Optimism: (Read from bottom to top) Special Thanks to Shivani Verma for the picture MDA So, just like you can So, just like you can change the style of clothes you wear, you can learn to change your style of thinking. Optimism is often considered the opposite but can be thought of in different ways. Optimism versus Pessimism. Optimism vs. Pessimism. Whether you’re an optimist or pessimist, the short answer is that there is inconclusive research about which trumps the other. Optimism | Pessimism | So what? But which type of attitude is better for you? death, fire, flood or violent rape) optimists may not be well prepared and their beautiful, rosy world may be shattered into pieces (although optimists might be better equipped to rebuild it than pessimists). VI. However, the learned optimism programme as it stands may be more focused on stopping pessimism than enhancing optimism which is its own and different skill. Optimism encourages us to take risks, which can help us learn and improve. Pessimism has been defined as: “[the] anticipation of good or bad things to happen in the future” (Carver et al., 2010). Do you know someone who seems to always have a smile and a positive thought? That is: Optimism and pessimism can affect our physical and mental well-being. Optimism rules the world. Optimism and pessimism are two different outlooks on life that dictate how you deal with most situations and your expectations of the world. Evidence for this connection between motivation and optimism or pessimism was found in a new study by Abigail Hazlett and colleagues (Hazlett et al., 2011), published in Social Cognition. Optimism and pessimism can co-exist and vary depending on circumstances. Whether you’re an optimist or pessimist, the short answer is that there is inconclusive research about which trumps the other. . Persons who believe that their goals can be achieved despite the difficulties they might encounter are said to hold an optimistic view. This may be based on inherited traits with a likely significant experiential influence. Pessimism and optimism literally affect what we pay attention to in our environment. Often enough, I use strategic optimism and defensive pessimism to make decisions. However, the learned optimism programme as it stands may be more focused on stopping pessimism than enhancing optimism which is its own and different skill. These people feel that they are responsible for all the negative things happening to them. Pessimism is a form of negative thinking that includes the belief that the bad things that happen to you are your fault. The Uses and Abuses of Optimism and Pessimism In a striking turnaround, science now sees optimism and pessimism not as good or bad outlooks you're … Furthermore, in the specific area of learning optimism amongst children, there have been eleven replications, of which eight replicated the results, whilst three found no effects. Even when optimists fail, they do not feel bad (as pessimists may think they should), as they still are optimistic about the benefits of learning and the potential for the future.