(Too) Optimistic About Optimism: The Belief That Optimism Improves Performance

A series of experiments investigated why people value optimism and whether they are right to do so. In Experiments 1A and 1B, participants prescribed more optimism for someone implementing decisions than for someone deliberating, indicating that people prescribe optimism selectively, when it can aff...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2015-03, Vol.108 (3), p.377-399
Main Authors: Tenney, Elizabeth R., Logg, Jennifer M., Moore, Don A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Achievement
Adult
Attitude
Belief & doubt
Beliefs
Decision Making
Experimental psychology
Experiments
Female
Human
Humans
Male
Optimism
Optimism - psychology
Personality psychology
Personality traits
Social influence
Social psychology
Social values
Task Performance and Analysis
Young Adult
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Summary:A series of experiments investigated why people value optimism and whether they are right to do so. In Experiments 1A and 1B, participants prescribed more optimism for someone implementing decisions than for someone deliberating, indicating that people prescribe optimism selectively, when it can affect performance. Furthermore, participants believed optimism improved outcomes when a person's actions had considerable, rather than little, influence over the outcome (Experiment 2). Experiments 3 and 4 tested the accuracy of this belief; optimism improved persistence, but it did not improve performance as much as participants expected. Experiments 5A and 5B found that participants overestimated the relationship between optimism and performance even when their focus was not on optimism exclusively. In summary, people prescribe optimism when they believe it has the opportunity to improve the chance of success-unfortunately, people may be overly optimistic about just how much optimism can do.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/pspa0000018