Optimism and Its Relationship with Subjective Well-Being

Optimism can be viewed as an attitude or mood that is associated with an individual’s expectation about the social or material future. It has been theorized and assessed in many ways, linking it to positive aspects of an individual’s life such as mood, morale, health, academia and occupational success. There is no single optimism as it is dependent on what is desirable to the individual and is based on the evaluation and beliefs of ones given affects and emotions (Peterson, 2000). Subjective well-being reflects an individual’s personal judgement on their own quality of life and can be defined by the ratings of life satisfaction and positive emotional experience (Baumgardner, 2016). This paper will look at the extent to which optimism is related to subjective well-being. It will discuss a method that can be used to evaluate an individual’s optimism as well as an integration of the intervention exercise ‘best possible self’. Further, it will look at how the intervention exercise can be applied to a counselling setting and finish with a summary of topic optimism and its connection to subjective well-being.

Optimism can be linked to happiness and life satisfaction, as optimist tend to be upbeat, happy and satisfied with their lives (Baumgardner, 2016). It can generally be considered to be a personality trait. Positive and negative expectations about the future shows consistent patterns that relate to the measures of wellbeing (Baumgardner, 2016). Specifically, the fact that an optimist expects good outcomes links optimism to positive emotion. This attitude can contribute to a positive state of mind and to more flexible, creative and resilient responses in the face of a challenge (Baumgardner, 2016). Further, research has exhibited that optimists are satisfied with life. Through having an optimistic view of one’s future will affect their circumstances because in order to accomplish the expectancy to do well, they will work more effectively and persevere to achieve more. Therefore, optimists are more likely to achieve life goals and consequently achieving a greater sense of wellbeing (Sharpe, Martin, & Roth, 2011).

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Although some studies show that optimism can be linked to life satisfaction, it has also been shown to have no direct effect on the level of satisfaction with life. Instead, it suggests that it acts as a buffer or moderator to neurotic tendencies in terms of decreasing psychological distress to enhance satisfaction with life.

The differences in these results could be that most studies that examined the role of optimism have used western samples, resulting in providing only a narrow understanding. Other factors accounting for these differences in findings include individual differences, personal resources, cultural or social contexts. As high levels of negative life events can influence an individual’s levels of optimism. Differences in outcomes could also be a result of the use of different measuring tools that measure the same construct (Jibeen, 2014).

Based on literature reviewed and evaluated it has been demonstrated that majority of the research provided displays a connection between optimism and life satisfaction and subjective well-being. As high levels of optimism signify high levels of life satisfaction and positive emotional experience.

Integration

Optimism can be measured using the Life Orientation Test. It is a six item self-report measure, with four filler items, that assesses generalized expectations for positive versus negative outcomes. The test uses a five-point response scale ranging from 0 (I disagree a lot) to 4 (I agree a lot), allowing respondents to indicate a level of agreement with the provided statements. Out of the six items, three were worded in a positive direction and three were worded in a negative direction, with negative worded items being reverse scored. Item scores were calculated to represent an overall optimism score out of twenty-four, with higher scores signifying greater optimism (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994).

On 25th of July 2019 I undertook the Life Orientation Test and scored 7 out of 24. To improve on my optimism, I implemented an intervention of visualizing my best possible self. Each day I set aside 30 minutes to visualize and write down my vision of my best possible self into a journal. It allowed me to visualize all of the futures that I can imagine for myself and restructure my goals and priorities to improve my own insights on my motives and emotions (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006). At the conclusion of a five-week period on Thursday the 29th of August 2019, my post intervention score increased to almost double with it being 13 out of 24.

This clearly demonstrates that the intervention resulted in a change in test scores. The intervention allowed myself to focus on my future and create any possibilities that related to my aspirations through visualization. Research has shown that daily imagery of best possible selves can lead to sustained increases in optimism. Visualization involves a deeper cognitive processing compared to written or verbalization (Meevissen, Peters, & Alberts, 2011). These results are not only applied to participants low in optimism but people high in optimism profited from the intervention (Meevissen, Peters, & Alberts, 2011). When conducting the exercise, I was able to identify connections between each attempt and set small goals that will help me achieve my best possible self. Disclosive writing has been linked to creating numerous benefits for well-being, health and emotional (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006). Mental simulation of a positive scenario has been proposed to lead to increased levels of confidence for success and increased levels of self-esteem (Meevissen, Peters, & Alberts, 2011). The intervention exercise ‘best possible self’ allows an individual to improve self-regulation through learning about oneself and clarifying and restructuring one’s priorities or goals to reduce goal conflict and gain a feeling of control (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006). If expectancies of eventual success of set goals are favorable, a person’s effort to overcome adversity can be engaged (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994). Overall, an increase in positive expectancies can subsequently lead to reciprocal alterations and reinforcements of other positive cognitions and resources (Meevissen, Peters, & Alberts, 2011). Through the use of this exercise practitioners can prompt the highest degree of self-concordant motivation and increase positive mood and subjective well-being for their clients (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006).

Application

The ‘best possible self’ exercise can be applied in counselling setting to create consistent imagery of a positive future scenario and boost levels of optimism. It can also be used when working towards generating goals. Clients can be presented with the option of writing narrative descriptions of their best possible selves for 20 minutes, throughout a period of time best suited, each time following up from what was previously written (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006). Practitioners can provide their clients with a manual that provides a step-by-step guide on improving visualization skills (Meevissen, Peters, & Alberts, 2011). The client should think about the future as if all their goals have been accomplished and everything has turned out in the most optimal way. Through these descriptions the client can create goals in order to work towards their best possible self. They will identify the best possible ways life can turn out in the future in order to help guide their decisions now.

Discussion and Summary

This paper looked at the extent to which optimism is related to subjective well-being. Majority of the findings were similar in linking the concepts together. As optimism enhances positive emotion, an individual’s personal judgement on their own quality of life increases as well as their life satisfaction. High levels of optimism can signify high levels of life satisfaction and positive emotional experience, whereas an individual’s negative view on life events can decrease the levels of optimism and therefore decreasing levels of life satisfaction and positive emotion. The current literature reviewed showed that optimism is not only directly related to subjective well-being but can also act as a buffer to neurotic tendencies to enhance satisfaction with life. Further investigation should address gaps in literature by account for individual differences, personal resources, cultural or social contexts.

Optimism can be measured using the Life Orientation Test which allows individuals to assess generalized expectations for positive versus negative outcomes. The overall optimism score was out of twenty-four, with higher scores signifying greater optimism (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994).

The intervention ‘best possible self’ can be seen as an exercise that can increase an individual’s level of optimism within the Life Orientation Test. It allows an individual to clarifying and restructure their goals to reduce goal conflict and gain a feeling of control consequently improving self-regulation (Meevissen, Peters, & Alberts, 2011). The positive results within visualizing your best self demonstrates that participants with low and high optimism can profit from this intervention. This exercise can be applied in counselling setting to create consistent imagery of a positive future scenario, boost levels of optimism and increase positive mood (Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, 2006).

In conclusion, the concept optimism can directly and indirectly relate to subjective well-being. As optimism focuses on the enhancement of positive attitude or mood that is associated with the individual’s life expectations, directly effecting their subjective well-being.

References

1. Baumgardner. (2016). Chapter 3: Positive Emotions and Well-Being. In Positive Psychology: PSY1010 (pp. 46-52). P.Ed Custom Books.
2. Baumgardner. (2016). Chapter 9: Positive Traits. In Positive Psychology: PSY1010 (pp. 193-194). P.Ed Custom Books.
3. Jibeen, T. (2014). Personality Traits and Subjective Well-Being: Moderating Role of Optimism in University Employees. Retrieved from Social Indicators Research, Volume 118, Issue 1, pgs. 157-172: http://www.jstor.org.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/stable/24720997
4. Meevissen, Y. M., Peters, M. L., & Alberts, H. J. (2011). Become More Optimistic by Imagining a Best Possible Self: Effects of a Two Week Intervention. Retrieved from Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry Volume 42, Issue 3, pgs. 371-378: https://www-clinicalkey-com-au.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/#!/content/1-s2.0-S0005791611000358
5. Peterson, C. (2000). The Future of Optimism. American Psychologist Volume 55 (1), 44–55.
6. Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Bridges, M. W. (1994). Distinguishing Optimism From Neuroticism (and Trait Anxiety, Self-Mastery, and Self-Esteem) : A Reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Volume 67 (6), 1063–1078.
7. Sharpe, J. P., Martin, N. R., & Roth, K. A. (2011). Optimism and the Big Five Factors of Personality: Beyond Neuroticism and Extraversion. Retrieved from Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 51, Issue 8, pgs. 946-951: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.07.033Get
8. Sheldon, K. M., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006). How to Increase and Sustain Positive Emotion: The Effects of Expressing Gratitude and Visualizing Best Possible Selves. Retrieved from The Journal of Positive Psychology, Volume 1, Issue 2, pgs. 73-82: https://doi-org.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/10.1080/17439760500510676