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For such studies, a randomized control trial should be done. For half the group, present the research on optimism and encourage them to be optimistic. For the o
by Bostonian 7y ago
For such studies, a randomized control trial should be done. For half the group, present the research on optimism and encourage them to be optimistic. For the other half, do nothing. I predict that telling people to be optimistic will not be effective.
- liquidise 7y agoI’d love to see a different question answered: is there an inverse correlation to be drawn between optimism and stress levels. From my experience significant stress can be just as debilitating as physical ailments and I find that optimists seem to handle stressful situations with more apparent ease than others.
- refurb 7y agoThat’s where my train of thought was going. Less optimistic, more stress, lower life expectancy.
- vasilipupkin 7y agoI would guess causality runs the other way: people with high stress in life have lower life expectancy and also tend to be less optimistic because it’s easier to be optimistic if things are going well for you
- 4ntonius8lock 7y agoI'd say there's even a third option, the causality runs back AND forth (both good thoughts can lead to good outcomes as well as bad outcomes can lead to bad thoughts and vice a versa) Even in this third option there exist an infinite number of sub options on a gradient (where each direction carries more or less weight). Of course, any meaningful conversation can only happen after definitions (like what is pessimistic) are agreed upon. I for one don't agree with the definition of pessimism as defined by the study.
- refurb 7y agoIt probably goes both ways? It’s well known that two people can have the exact same experience (e.g. fighting in a war, experience a natural disaster) and have vastly different psychological outcomes from it. Some can deal with it easily, while others are crippled by it.
- Klinky 7y agoHow does one measure stress and its effects? It often sounds like a vague catch all, that can't really be measured scientifically.
- JadeNB 7y ago> I predict that telling people to be optimistic will not be effective. I think that it's amusing how the scientific response (which I shared) to this finding in favour of optimism is pessimism.