What Does "Optimistic" Mean?

An optimistic person might see a cup as half full.

The word "optimistic" describes people with a positive outlook on life and a tendency to expect the best from situations they encounter. An optimistic viewpoint assumes positive things will happen, while a pessimistic viewpoint assumes negative things will happen.

Identification

California State University, Northridge refers to Scheier and Carver's 1985 definition of optimism. They describe an optimistic attitude as the tendency to expect good rather than bad outcomes from life situations, and a positive attitude towards problems approached.

Significance

According to Ohio State University, while optimism and the expectation of good outcomes may improve a person's mood, a person can hold both optimistic and pessimistic views, and avoiding pessimistic thinking has a more important effect on mental health than encouraging optimistic thinking.

Misconceptions

Optimism and happiness, often conflated, have different characteristics. While colloquially, the question of whether a glass is "half full" or "half empty" describes whether a person has an optimistic or pessimistic philosophy, Deirdre V. Lovecky, Ph.D., suggests that the question also involves the difference between convergent and divergent thinking.

References

• California State University, Northridge: Happiness, Hope, Optimism
• Ohio State University: Avoiding Pessimism
• Gifted Resource Center of New England: Deirdre V. Lovecky, Ph.D.--The Conundrum Glass