Construct Validation of Optimism and Pessimism in Older Men: Findings From the Normative Aging Study

Daniel K. Mroczek; Avron Spiro; Carolyn M. Aldwin; Daniel J. Ozer; Raymond Bossé

doi:10.1037/0278-6133.12.5.406

Construct Validation of Optimism and Pessimism in Older Men: Findings From the Normative Aging Study

Daniel K. Mroczek^*, Avron Spiro, Carolyn M. Aldwin, Daniel J. Ozer, Raymond Bossé

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

154 Scopus citations

Abstract

Validation of Scheier and Carver's (1985) Life Orientation Test (LOT) has identified associations between bipolar optimism and several external constructs. However, optimism and pessimism may be not bipolar, but rather separate constructs. Furthermore, these constructs may be indistinguishable from personality traits, such as neuroticism and extraversion. This study examined the associations of separate optimism and pessimism measures with self-reports of hassles, psychological symptoms, and illness severity, controlling for personality. Ss were 1,192 men from the Normative Aging Study. Findings suggest that optimism and pessimism are separate and that their relations to external criteria remain, although attenuated, when neuroticism and extraversion are controlled.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	406-409
Number of pages	4
Journal	Health Psychology
Volume	12
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133.12.5.406
State	Published - Sep 1993

Keywords

aging
extraversion
health
neuroticism
optimism
personality
pessimism

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Applied Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1037/0278-6133.12.5.406

Cite this

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title = "Construct Validation of Optimism and Pessimism in Older Men: Findings From the Normative Aging Study",

abstract = "Validation of Scheier and Carver's (1985) Life Orientation Test (LOT) has identified associations between bipolar optimism and several external constructs. However, optimism and pessimism may be not bipolar, but rather separate constructs. Furthermore, these constructs may be indistinguishable from personality traits, such as neuroticism and extraversion. This study examined the associations of separate optimism and pessimism measures with self-reports of hassles, psychological symptoms, and illness severity, controlling for personality. Ss were 1,192 men from the Normative Aging Study. Findings suggest that optimism and pessimism are separate and that their relations to external criteria remain, although attenuated, when neuroticism and extraversion are controlled.",

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AU - Mroczek, Daniel K.

AU - Spiro, Avron

AU - Aldwin, Carolyn M.

AU - Ozer, Daniel J.

AU - Bossé, Raymond

PY - 1993/9

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N2 - Validation of Scheier and Carver's (1985) Life Orientation Test (LOT) has identified associations between bipolar optimism and several external constructs. However, optimism and pessimism may be not bipolar, but rather separate constructs. Furthermore, these constructs may be indistinguishable from personality traits, such as neuroticism and extraversion. This study examined the associations of separate optimism and pessimism measures with self-reports of hassles, psychological symptoms, and illness severity, controlling for personality. Ss were 1,192 men from the Normative Aging Study. Findings suggest that optimism and pessimism are separate and that their relations to external criteria remain, although attenuated, when neuroticism and extraversion are controlled.

AB - Validation of Scheier and Carver's (1985) Life Orientation Test (LOT) has identified associations between bipolar optimism and several external constructs. However, optimism and pessimism may be not bipolar, but rather separate constructs. Furthermore, these constructs may be indistinguishable from personality traits, such as neuroticism and extraversion. This study examined the associations of separate optimism and pessimism measures with self-reports of hassles, psychological symptoms, and illness severity, controlling for personality. Ss were 1,192 men from the Normative Aging Study. Findings suggest that optimism and pessimism are separate and that their relations to external criteria remain, although attenuated, when neuroticism and extraversion are controlled.

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KW - extraversion

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Construct Validation of Optimism and Pessimism in Older Men: Findings From the Normative Aging Study

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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