Is optimism always more beneficial than pessimism?

Many of us have heard our entire lives to be positive—to see the glass as half full instead of half empty. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, an international bestseller first published in 1952, touted the benefits of thinking optimistically. Certainly, it’s beneficial to have a positive outlook in life, but are there circumstances in which pessimism trumps optimism?

In a 2001 book entitled The Positive Power of Negative Thinking, psychologist Julie Norem discusses defensive pessimism, an approach, which for some people, works as a way to keep expectations low. Defensive pessimists envision all possible outcomes of a situation. This can help them to prepare thoroughly in order to have a successful outcome, or mentally brace themselves for disappointment or failure. For example, a defensive pessimist who is preparing for a job interview might think of all the ways the interview could go wrong. In thinking of all possible scenarios, he is able to anticipate and prepare for any questions that he might be asked in the interview. And what if he doesn’t get the job? Well, the defensive pessimist is prepared for that, too.

Too much optimism might even be a hindrance in life-or-death situations. The 2009 book The Survivor’s Club tells us that people who are overly optimistic fare more poorly in survival situations, a phenomenon called the Stockdale Paradox after Admiral James Stockdale, an American prisoner of war in Vietnam. Stockdale observed that the optimists were the ones who died in captivity in Vietnam because they always thought they would be rescued by a particular time period, say Christmas. If Christmas came and went without rescue, they had their hopes dashed. Perhaps in their optimism, they failed to face the reality of their situation.

So, if you are an optimist, what are you to do with this information? Keep a positive outlook, but be realistic and prepare for all positive outcomes. If you’re someone who finds yourself envisioning the worst-case scenario, you can feel reassured that this defensive pessimism may actually be a beneficial strategy for you.

For further information:

The Positive Power of Negative Thinking: Using Defensive Pessimism to Harness Anxiety and Perform at Your Peak
Author: Julie K. Norem

The Survivor’s Club: The Secrets and Science That Could Save Your Life
Author: Ben Sherwood
Grand Central Publishing: 2009

“The Power of Negative Thinking”, Oprah.com

Image courtesy of PhotoBucket.com