A Primer on Unrealistic Optimism

doi:10.1177/0963721414568341

. 2015 Jun;24(3):232-237.

doi: 10.1177/0963721414568341.

A Primer on Unrealistic Optimism

James A Shepperd ¹, Erika Waters ², Neil D Weinstein ³, William M P Klein ⁴

Affiliations

PMID: 26089606
PMCID: PMC4467896
DOI: 10.1177/0963721414568341

A Primer on Unrealistic Optimism

James A Shepperd et al. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2015 Jun.

. 2015 Jun;24(3):232-237.

doi: 10.1177/0963721414568341.

Authors

James A Shepperd ¹, Erika Waters ², Neil D Weinstein ³, William M P Klein ⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Florida.
² Washington University in St. Louis.
³ Rutgers University.
⁴ National Cancer Institute.

PMID: 26089606
PMCID: PMC4467896
DOI: 10.1177/0963721414568341

Abstract

People display unrealistic optimism in their predictions for countless events, believing that their personal future outcomes will be more desirable than can possibly be true. We summarize the vast literature on unrealistic optimism by focusing on four broad questions: What is unrealistic optimism; when does it occur; why does it occur; and what are its consequences.

Keywords: Unrealistic optimism; comparative optimism; optimistic bias; risk judgments; risk perception.

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References

1. Armor DA, Massey C, Sackett AM. Prescribed optimism: Is it right to be wrong about the future? Psychological Science. 2008;19(4):329–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02089.x. - PubMed
1. Armor DA, Taylor SE. Situated optimism: Specific outcome expectancies and self-regulation. In: Zanna MP, editor. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Vol. 30. Academic Press; New York: 1998. pp. 309–379.
1. Ayanian JZ, Cleary PD. Perceived risks of heart disease and cancer among cigarette smokers. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association. 1999;281(11):1019–1021. doi: 10.1001/jama.281.11.1019. - PubMed
1. Calderon TG. Predictive properties of analysts' forecasts of corporate earnings. The Mid-Atlantic Journal of Business. 1993;29:41–58.
1. Carroll P, Sweeny K, Shepperd JA. Forsaking optimism. Review of General Psychology. 2006;10(1):56–73. doi: 10.1037/1089-2680年10月1日.56.

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[1] Armor DA, Massey C, Sackett AM. Prescribed optimism: Is it right to be wrong about the future? Psychological Science. 2008;19(4):329–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02089.x. - PubMed

[2] Armor DA, Massey C, Sackett AM. Prescribed optimism: Is it right to be wrong about the future? Psychological Science. 2008;19(4):329–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02089.x. - PubMed

[3] Armor DA, Taylor SE. Situated optimism: Specific outcome expectancies and self-regulation. In: Zanna MP, editor. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Vol. 30. Academic Press; New York: 1998. pp. 309–379.

[4] Armor DA, Taylor SE. Situated optimism: Specific outcome expectancies and self-regulation. In: Zanna MP, editor. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Vol. 30. Academic Press; New York: 1998. pp. 309–379.

[5] Ayanian JZ, Cleary PD. Perceived risks of heart disease and cancer among cigarette smokers. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association. 1999;281(11):1019–1021. doi: 10.1001/jama.281.11.1019. - PubMed

[6] Ayanian JZ, Cleary PD. Perceived risks of heart disease and cancer among cigarette smokers. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association. 1999;281(11):1019–1021. doi: 10.1001/jama.281.11.1019. - PubMed

[7] Calderon TG. Predictive properties of analysts' forecasts of corporate earnings. The Mid-Atlantic Journal of Business. 1993;29:41–58.

[8] Calderon TG. Predictive properties of analysts' forecasts of corporate earnings. The Mid-Atlantic Journal of Business. 1993;29:41–58.

[9] Carroll P, Sweeny K, Shepperd JA. Forsaking optimism. Review of General Psychology. 2006;10(1):56–73. doi: 10.1037/1089-2680年10月1日.56.

[10] Carroll P, Sweeny K, Shepperd JA. Forsaking optimism. Review of General Psychology. 2006;10(1):56–73. doi: 10.1037/1089-2680年10月1日.56.

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A Primer on Unrealistic Optimism

Affiliations

A Primer on Unrealistic Optimism

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

References

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

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