Effect of Dispositional Optimism on Comparative Risk Perceptions for Developing Aids
- 1 June 1994
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Psychological Reports
- Vol. 74 (3) , 843-846
- https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1994.74.3.843
Abstract
The present study investigated the effects of individual differences along the dimension of dispositional optimism-pessimism on comparative risk perception in relation to the prospect of developing AIDS. 104 university students completed the Life Orientation Test of Scheier and Carver and estimated the likelihood of AIDS happening to themselves and the average university student. A split at the median on the Life Orientation Test divided subjects into optimists and pessimists. Dispositional optimists and pessimists rated their own likelihood of developing AIDS as less than that of the average student. Moreover, subjects classified as optimistic and pessimistic did not differ significantly in their ratings of comparative risk perception.Keywords
This publication has 8 references indexed in Scilit:
- Optimism, perceived control over stress, and copingEuropean Journal of Personality, 1993
- It won't happen to me: Unrealistic optimism or illusion of control?British Journal of Psychology, 1993
- Optimism, pessimism, and postpartum depressionCognitive Therapy and Research, 1987
- Self–other judgments and perceived vulnerability to victimization.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1986
- Coping with stress: Divergent strategies of optimists and pessimists.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1986
- Optimism, coping, and health: Assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies.Health Psychology, 1985
- Why it won't happen to me: Perceptions of risk factors and susceptibility.Health Psychology, 1984
- Unrealistic optimism about future life events.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1980