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Tali Sharot - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the Optimism bias
2012Co-Authors: Tali SharotAbstract:Summary The ability to anticipate is a hallmark of cognition. Inferences about what will occur in the future are critical to decision making, enabling us to prepare our actions so as to avoid harm and gain reward. Given the importance of these future projections, one might expect the brain to possess accurate, unbiased foresight. Humans, however, exhibit a pervasive and surprising bias: when it comes to predicting what will happen to us tomorrow, next week, or fifty years from now, we overestimate the likelihood of positive events, and underestimate the likelihood of negative events. For example, we underrate our chances of getting divorced, being in a car accident, or suffering from cancer. We also expect to live longer than objective measures would warrant, overestimate our success in the job market, and believe that our children will be especially talented. This phenomenon is known as the Optimism bias, and it is one of the most consistent, prevalent, and robust biases documented in psychology and behavioral economics.
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how unrealistic Optimism is maintained in the face of reality
Nature Neuroscience, 2011Co-Authors: Tali Sharot, Christoph W Korn, Raymond J DolanAbstract:Unrealistic Optimism is a pervasive human trait that influences domains ranging from personal relationships to politics and finance. How people maintain unrealistic Optimism, despite frequently encountering information that challenges those biased beliefs, is unknown. We examined this question and found a marked asymmetry in belief updating. Participants updated their beliefs more in response to information that was better than expected than to information that was worse. This selectivity was mediated by a relative failure to code for errors that should reduce Optimism. Distinct regions of the prefrontal cortex tracked estimation errors when those called for positive update, both in individuals who scored high and low on trait Optimism. However, highly optimistic individuals exhibited reduced tracking of estimation errors that called for negative update in right inferior prefrontal gyrus. These findings indicate that Optimism is tied to a selective update failure and diminished neural coding of undesirable information regarding the future.
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neural mechanisms mediating Optimism bias
Nature, 2007Co-Authors: Tali Sharot, Alison M Riccardi, Candace M Raio, Elizabeth A PhelpsAbstract:The neural basis of depression — often characterized by a pessimism bias — has been widely studied. The neuroscience of Optimism, however, is new. We are an incorrigibly optimistic species, expecting positive outcomes even when there is no basis for such expectations. For example, we expect to live longer and be healthier than average, and we underestimate our chances of being in a car accident and getting divorced. A combination of brain imaging and behavioural studies in healthy volunteers provides evidence for the neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Interestingly, the activity of brain regions that are known to malfunction in depression also predict the Optimism bias. Optimism for the future is a ubiquitous human trait. In an fMRI study, Phelps and colleagues link this tendency to activity in amygdala and rostral anterior cingulate -- brain areas whose function may be disrupted in depression. Activation in these areas is higher when subjects imagine positive rather than negative future events, and activity levels also correlate with individual personality tendencies towards Optimism. Humans expect positive events in the future even when there is no evidence to support such expectations. For example, people expect to live longer and be healthier than average1, they underestimate their likelihood of getting a divorce1, and overestimate their prospects for success on the job market2. We examined how the brain generates this pervasive Optimism bias. Here we report that this tendency was related specifically to enhanced activation in the amygdala and in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex when imagining positive future events relative to negative ones, suggesting a key role for areas involved in monitoring emotional salience in mediating the Optimism bias. These are the same regions that show irregularities in depression3, which has been related to pessimism4. Across individuals, activity in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex was correlated with trait Optimism. The current study highlights how the brain may generate the tendency to engage in the projection of positive future events, suggesting that the effective integration and regulation of emotional and autobiographical information supports the projection of positive future events in healthy individuals, and is related to Optimism.
James A Shepperd - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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a primer on unrealistic Optimism
Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2015Co-Authors: James A Shepperd, Erika A Waters, Neil D Weinstein, William M P KleinAbstract:People display unrealistic Optimism in their predictions for countless events, believing that their personal future outcomes will be more desirable than can possibly be true. We summarize the vast literature on unrealistic Optimism by focusing on four broad questions: What is unrealistic Optimism; when does it occur; why does it occur; and what are its consequences.
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taking stock of unrealistic Optimism
Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2013Co-Authors: James A Shepperd, William M P Klein, Erika A Waters, Neil D WeinsteinAbstract:Researchers have used terms such as unrealistic Optimism and optimistic bias to refer to concepts that are similar but not synonymous. Drawing from 3 decades of research, we discuss critically how researchers define unrealistic Optimism, and we identify four types that reflect different measurement approaches: unrealistic absolute Optimism at the individual and group levels and unrealistic comparative Optimism at the individual and group levels. In addition, we discuss methodological criticisms leveled against research on unrealistic Optimism and note that the criticisms are primarily relevant to only one type: the group form of unrealistic comparative Optimism. We further clarify how the criticisms are not nearly as problematic as they might seem, even for unrealistic comparative Optimism. Finally, we note boundary conditions on the different types of unrealistic Optimism and reflect on five broad questions that deserve further attention.
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the costs of Optimism and the benefits of pessimism
Emotion, 2010Co-Authors: Kate Sweeny, James A ShepperdAbstract:Research suggests that Optimism feels good. However, does it always feel good? We suggest that the benefits (and costs) of Optimism and pessimism depend on their timing. A study of exam score estimates revealed that, after controlling for actual exam performance, optimistic expectations are unrelated to how people feel immediately before feedback, in contrast to the common wisdom that Optimism "feels good." Furthermore, Optimism has costs after feedback-participants who predicted higher scores before feedback felt worse after learning their scores. Finally, people seem to be aware of the potential costs of Optimism-participants who predicted higher scores before feedback also anticipated experiencing greater disappointment should they perform poorly. These findings suggest that people may proactively manage their expectations to avoid the costs of Optimism.
Michael F Scheier - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Optimism versus pessimism as predictors of physical health a comprehensive reanalysis of dispositional Optimism research
American Psychologist, 2020Co-Authors: Michael F Scheier, Joshua Swanson, Meaghan A Barlow, Joel B Greenhouse, Carsten Wrosch, Hilary A TindleAbstract:Prior research has related dispositional Optimism to physical health. Traditionally, dispositional Optimism is treated as a bipolar construct, anchored at one end by Optimism and the other by pessimism. Optimism and pessimism, however, may not be diametrically opposed, but rather may reflect 2 independent, but related dimensions. This article reports a reanalysis of data from previously published studies on dispositional Optimism. The reanalysis was designed to evaluate whether the presence of Optimism or the absence of pessimism predicted positive physical health more strongly. Relevant literatures were screened for studies relating dispositional Optimism to physical health. Authors of relevant studies were asked to join a consortium, the purpose of which was to reanalyze previously published data sets separating Optimism and pessimism into distinguishable components. Ultimately, data were received from 61 separate samples (N = 221,133). Meta-analytic analysis of data in which Optimism and pessimism were combined into an overall index (the typical procedure) revealed a significant positive association with an aggregated measure of physical health outcomes (r = .026, p < .001), as did meta-analytic analyses with the absence of pessimism (r = .029, p < .001) and the presence of Optimism (r = .011, p < .018) separately. The effect size for pessimism was significantly larger than the effect size for Optimism (Z = -2.403, p < .02). Thus, the absence of pessimism was more strongly related to positive health outcomes than was the presence of Optimism. Implications of the findings for future research and clinical interventions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Optimism versus pessimism as predictors of physical health: A comprehensive reanalysis of dispositional Optimism research. American Psychologist.(2020, DOI: 10.1037/amp0000666).
2020Co-Authors: Michael F Scheier, Joshua Swanson, Joel B Greenhouse, Carsten Wrosch, Meaghan Barlow, Hilary A TindleAbstract:Prior research has related dispositional Optimism to physical health. Traditionally, dispositional Optimism is treated as a bipolar construct, anchored at one end by Optimism and the other by pessimism. Optimism and pessimism, however, may not be diametrically opposed, but rather may reflect two independent, but related dimensions. This paper reports a reanalysis of data from previously published studies on dispositional Optimism. The reanalysis was designed to evaluate whether the presence of Optimism or the absence of pessimism predicted positive physical health more strongly. Relevant literatures were screened for studies relating dispositional Optimism to physical health. Authors of relevant studies were asked to join a consortium, the purpose of which was to re-analyze previously published data sets separating Optimism and pessimism into distinguishable components. Ultimately, data were received from 61 separate samples (N = 221,133). Meta-analytic analysis of data in which Optimism and pessimism were combined into an overall index (the typical procedure) revealed a significant positive association with an aggregated measure of physical health outcomes (r = .026, pr = .029, p r= .011, p Z = -2.403, p < .02). Thus, the absence of pessimism was more strongly related to positive health outcomes than was the presence of Optimism. Implications of the findings for future research and clinical interventions are discussed.
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dispositional Optimism and physical health a long look back a quick look forward
American Psychologist, 2018Co-Authors: Michael F Scheier, Charles S CarverAbstract:Dispositional Optimism is the generalized, relatively stable tendency to expect good outcomes across important life domains. This article provides a representative review of 30 years of research on dispositional Optimism and physical well-being. Assessment of Optimism is described, along with data regarding its stability. A review of the research linking Optimism and physical health is then presented. Included in the review are initial studies suggesting that Optimism and physical well-being might be linked as well as more recent, larger scale epidemiological studies that make the point more emphatically. Also considered are potential pathways-behavioral, biological, and social-that might explain these associations. The article concludes with a brief look to the future, describing several issues and questions that still need to be answered. These questions include the relationship of Optimism and pessimism to each other (and the implications of that relationship for physical well-being), the origins of Optimism and pessimism, and interventions that might be implemented to reduce the negative impact of a pessimistic outlook. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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do the emotional benefits of Optimism vary across older adulthood a life span perspective
Journal of Personality, 2017Co-Authors: Carsten Wrosch, Joelle Jobin, Michael F ScheierAbstract:Objective. This study examined whether the emotional benefits of dispositional Optimism for managing stressful encounters decrease across older adulthood. Such an effect might emerge because age-related declines in opportunities for overcoming stressors could reduce the effectiveness of Optimism. Method. This hypothesis was tested in a six-year longitudinal study of 171 community-dwelling older adults (age range = 64 to 90 years). Results. Hierarchical linear models showed that dispositional Optimism protected relatively young participants from exhibiting elevations in depressive symptoms over time, but that these benefits became increasingly reduced among their older counterparts. Moreover, the findings showed that an age-related association between Optimism and depressive symptoms was observed particularly during periods of enhanced, as compared to reduced, stress. Conclusions. These results suggest that dispositional Optimism protects emotional well-being during the early phases of older adulthood, but that its effects are reduced in advanced old age.
Hilary A Tindle - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Optimism versus pessimism as predictors of physical health a comprehensive reanalysis of dispositional Optimism research
American Psychologist, 2020Co-Authors: Michael F Scheier, Joshua Swanson, Meaghan A Barlow, Joel B Greenhouse, Carsten Wrosch, Hilary A TindleAbstract:Prior research has related dispositional Optimism to physical health. Traditionally, dispositional Optimism is treated as a bipolar construct, anchored at one end by Optimism and the other by pessimism. Optimism and pessimism, however, may not be diametrically opposed, but rather may reflect 2 independent, but related dimensions. This article reports a reanalysis of data from previously published studies on dispositional Optimism. The reanalysis was designed to evaluate whether the presence of Optimism or the absence of pessimism predicted positive physical health more strongly. Relevant literatures were screened for studies relating dispositional Optimism to physical health. Authors of relevant studies were asked to join a consortium, the purpose of which was to reanalyze previously published data sets separating Optimism and pessimism into distinguishable components. Ultimately, data were received from 61 separate samples (N = 221,133). Meta-analytic analysis of data in which Optimism and pessimism were combined into an overall index (the typical procedure) revealed a significant positive association with an aggregated measure of physical health outcomes (r = .026, p < .001), as did meta-analytic analyses with the absence of pessimism (r = .029, p < .001) and the presence of Optimism (r = .011, p < .018) separately. The effect size for pessimism was significantly larger than the effect size for Optimism (Z = -2.403, p < .02). Thus, the absence of pessimism was more strongly related to positive health outcomes than was the presence of Optimism. Implications of the findings for future research and clinical interventions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Optimism versus pessimism as predictors of physical health: A comprehensive reanalysis of dispositional Optimism research. American Psychologist.(2020, DOI: 10.1037/amp0000666).
2020Co-Authors: Michael F Scheier, Joshua Swanson, Joel B Greenhouse, Carsten Wrosch, Meaghan Barlow, Hilary A TindleAbstract:Prior research has related dispositional Optimism to physical health. Traditionally, dispositional Optimism is treated as a bipolar construct, anchored at one end by Optimism and the other by pessimism. Optimism and pessimism, however, may not be diametrically opposed, but rather may reflect two independent, but related dimensions. This paper reports a reanalysis of data from previously published studies on dispositional Optimism. The reanalysis was designed to evaluate whether the presence of Optimism or the absence of pessimism predicted positive physical health more strongly. Relevant literatures were screened for studies relating dispositional Optimism to physical health. Authors of relevant studies were asked to join a consortium, the purpose of which was to re-analyze previously published data sets separating Optimism and pessimism into distinguishable components. Ultimately, data were received from 61 separate samples (N = 221,133). Meta-analytic analysis of data in which Optimism and pessimism were combined into an overall index (the typical procedure) revealed a significant positive association with an aggregated measure of physical health outcomes (r = .026, pr = .029, p r= .011, p Z = -2.403, p < .02). Thus, the absence of pessimism was more strongly related to positive health outcomes than was the presence of Optimism. Implications of the findings for future research and clinical interventions are discussed.
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Optimism cynical hostility falls and fractures the women s health initiative observational study whi os
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2017Co-Authors: Jane A Cauley, Stephen F Smagula, Kathleen M Hovey, Jean Wactawskiwende, Christopher A Andrews, Carolyn J Crandall, Meryl S Leboff, Mathilda Coday, Maryam Sattari, Hilary A TindleAbstract:Traits of Optimism and cynical hostility are features of personality that could influence the risk of falls and fractures by influencing risk taking behaviors, health behaviors or inflammation. To test the hypothesis that personality influences falls and fracture risk, we studied 87,342 women enrolled in WHI-OS. Optimism was assessed by the Life Orientation Test - Revised and cynical hostility, the cynicism subscale of the Cook-Medley questionnaire. Higher scores indicate greater Optimism and hostility. Optimism and hostility were correlated at r = -0.31, p This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Language: en
Laura D Kubzansky - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Optimism and telomere length among african american adults in the jackson heart study
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2021Co-Authors: Harold H Lee, Sakurako S Okuzono, Eric S Kim, Immaculata De Vivo, Laura M Raffield, Lashaunta M Glover, Mario Sims, Francine Grodstein, Laura D KubzanskyAbstract:Abstract Background Optimism is linked with greater longevity in both White and African American populations. Optimism may enhance longevity by slowing cellular aging, for which leukocyte telomere shortening is a biomarker. However, limited studies have examined the association of Optimism with leukocyte telomere length among African Americans. Methods Data are from 723 men and 1244 women participating in the Jackson Heart Study (age = 21–93 years). We used multivariable linear regression models to conduct cross-sectional analyses examining whether higher Optimism was associated with longer mean absolute leukocyte telomere length (assayed with Southern blot analysis). Models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptomatology, health conditions, and health behavior-related factors. We also considered potential effect modification by key factors. Results In the age-adjusted model, Optimism, measured as a continuous variable, was not associated with leukocyte telomere length (β = 0.01, 95%CI: −0.02, 0.04). This association remained null in the fully-adjusted model (β = 0.02, 95%CI: −0.02, 0.05) and was also null when considering Optimism as a binary measure (higher vs. lower Optimism). We found no evidence of effect modification by sex, age, body mass index, income, or chronic conditions. Conclusions Optimism was not associated with leukocyte telomere length among African American adults. Future studies should investigate alternate biological and behavioral mechanisms that may explain the Optimism-health association.
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abstract p538 cardiovascular health benefits of Optimism are socially patterned a 15 year prospective study
Circulation, 2020Co-Authors: Farah Qureshi, Laura D Kubzansky, Ying Chen, Jackie Soo, Brita Roy, Donald M Lloydjones, Julia K BoehmAbstract:Introduction: Optimism is consistently associated with better cardiovascular health but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. This study examines prospective links between Optimism and lipid...
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Optimism and cause specific mortality a prospective cohort study
American Journal of Epidemiology, 2017Co-Authors: Eric S Kim, Immaculata De Vivo, Francine Grodstein, Kaitlin A Hagan, Dawn L Demeo, Laura D KubzanskyAbstract:Growing evidence has linked positive psychological attributes like Optimism to a lower risk of poor health outcomes, especially cardiovascular disease. It has been demonstrated in randomized trials that Optimism can be learned. If associations between Optimism and broader health outcomes are established, it may lead to novel interventions that improve public health and longevity. In the present study, we evaluated the association between Optimism and cause-specific mortality in women after considering the role of potential confounding (sociodemographic characteristics, depression) and intermediary (health behaviors, health conditions) variables. We used prospective data from the Nurses' Health Study (n = 70,021). Dispositional Optimism was measured in 2004; all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates were assessed from 2006 to 2012. Using Cox proportional hazard models, we found that a higher degree of Optimism was associated with a lower mortality risk. After adjustment for sociodemographic confounders, compared with women in the lowest quartile of Optimism, women in the highest quartile had a hazard ratio of 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.66, 0.76) for all-cause mortality. Adding health behaviors, health conditions, and depression attenuated but did not eliminate the associations (hazard ratio = 0.91, 95% confidence interval: 0.85, 0.97). Associations were maintained for various causes of death, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and infection. Given that Optimism was associated with numerous causes of mortality, it may provide a valuable target for new research on strategies to improve health.
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unequally distributed psychological assets are there social disparities in Optimism life satisfaction and positive affect
PLOS ONE, 2015Co-Authors: Julia K Boehm, Ying Chen, David R Williams, Carol D Ryff, Laura D KubzanskyAbstract:Socioeconomic status is associated with health disparities, but underlying psychosocial mechanisms have not been fully identified. Dispositional Optimism may be a psychosocial process linking socioeconomic status with health. We hypothesized that lower Optimism would be associated with greater social disadvantage and poorer social mobility. We also investigated whether life satisfaction and positive affect showed similar patterns. Participants from the Midlife in the United States study self-reported their Optimism, satisfaction, positive affect, and socioeconomic status (gender, race/ethnicity, education, occupational class and prestige, income). Social disparities in Optimism were evident. Optimistic individuals tended to be white and highly educated, had an educated parent, belonged to higher occupational classes with more prestige, and had higher incomes. Findings were generally similar for satisfaction, but not positive affect. Greater Optimism and satisfaction were also associated with educational achievement across generations. Optimism and life satisfaction are consistently linked with socioeconomic advantage and may be one conduit by which social disparities influence health.
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relation between Optimism and lipids in midlife
American Journal of Cardiology, 2013Co-Authors: Julia K Boehm, David R Williams, Carol D Ryff, Eric B Rimm, Laura D KubzanskyAbstract:The present research examined Optimism's relation with total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. The hypothesis that Optimism is associated with a healthier lipid profile was tested. The participants were 990 mostly white men and women from the Midlife in the United States study, who were, on average, 55.1 years old. Optimism was assessed by self-report using the Life Orientation Test. A fasting blood sample was used to assess the serum lipid levels. Linear and logistic regression models examined the cross-sectional association between Optimism and lipid levels, accounting for covariates such as demographic characteristics (e.g., education) and health status (e.g., chronic medical conditions). After adjusting for covariates, the results suggested that greater Optimism was associated with greater high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lower triglycerides. Optimism was not associated with low-density lipoprotein or total cholesterol. The findings were robust to a variety of modeling strategies that considered the effect of treatment of cholesterol problems. The results also indicated that diet and body mass index might link Optimism with lipids. In conclusion, this is the first study to suggest that Optimism is associated with a healthy lipid profile; moreover, these associations can be explained, in part, by the presence of healthier behaviors and a lower body mass index.
