1. A Study by Dr. Marvin Seligman
Learned Optimism
A Study by Dr. Marvin Seligman

2. Two ways of life
Optimism
Pessimism

3. The Optimism Test

4. How do you react to bad events?

5. Permanence (bad events)
Optimist
Pessimist
Temporary
Persist forever
My boss is in a bad mood today
My boss is a bastard

6. Permanence Score PmB: Permanence Bad (7) PmG: Permanence Good (4)
0-1 very optimistic
4 average
7-8 very pessimistic
PmG: Permanence Good (4)
7-8 very optimistic
4-5 average
0-1 very pessimistic

7. Pervasiveness Optimist Pessimist Good event Universal Specific
Bad event
Teacher x is unfair.
All teachers are unfair.

8. Pervasiveness PvB: Pervasiveness Bad (4) PvG: Pervasiveness Good (3)
0-1 very optimistic
4 average
7-8 very pessimistic
PvG: Pervasiveness Good (3)
7-8 very optimistic
4-5 average
0-1 very pessimistic

9. Hope
PvB + PmB
0-2 very hopeful
12-16 severely hopeless (11)

10. The Hopeless
People who make permanent and universal explanations for their troubles
tend to collapse under pressure

11. Personalization When bad things happen, do we blame ourselves?
If so, do we lose self-esteem when bad events strike?

12. Responsibility for our actions
“I’m stupid” vs
“You’re stupid”

13. Responsibility for our actions
Realistic
Depressives
Low
High
Depressives tend to take way more responsibility for bad events than is realistic

14. PsB = Personalization Bad
0-1 very high self esteem
4 average (4)
7-8 very low self esteem

15. PsG = Personalization Good
7-8 very high self esteem
4-5 average
0-1 very low self esteem (2)

16. Total Score Good-Bad Above 8 very optimistic. 6 – 7 optimistic
3-5 average
0 or below very pessimistic (-6)
prone to depression

17. Pessimists see reality !
Benefits of Pessimism
Pessimists see reality !

18. Reality Non-depressed people
Believe they have more control than they do
Overestimated their performance

19. Pessimism works Companies need pessimists to survive
Finance
Compliance
Pessimism keeps you alive
airlines

20. if you are pessimistic….
But...
if you are pessimistic….

21. May be depressed

22. May be achieving less
Your talent
Effort
Achievement

23. Your health May have weakened physical health
and it gets worse with age.

24. Life may not be as pleasurable

25. Bad life events
Children may suffering bad life events (divorce, family deaths, etc)
will do worst

26. Pessimism in children’s life
But also children who see bad events as permanent, pervasive and personal
Will over time get depressed and do badly

27. At School Explanatory style is as much of a predictor of success
as SAT’s or IQ tests

28. At Work: Met Life study Group A: Regular force Group B: Special Force
Pass Career Profile, insurance industry test
Group B: Special Force
Failed Career Profile
Would not usually be hired anywhere else
But scored top half of the optimism test.

29. Special force At Work 1st year 2nd year
Outsold the pessimists in the regular force by 21%
2nd year
Outsold the pessimists by 57%

30. Health: Nursing home study
The First Floor
Extra control and choice in their lives
Have to choose omeletes or scrambled eggs for breakfast the night before
Have to choose the film to watch before
Pick plants if you want and you have to water it.

31. Health: Nursing home study
The Second Floor
The same added extra good things but…
Omelettes on Mon, Wed, and Fri.
Scrambled eggs on the other days
Residents from left corridor go Wednesday for the film.
Those from right corridor Thursday.
Nurse waters plants in the room

32. Eighteen months later…
The First Floor
With choice and control
More active and happier
Lived longer

33. I am pessimistic.
And I think I’m born with it.
Really?

34. Children are … 13.5 From 9 to 12 years old boys and girls
Total average is
13.5

35. But they are open to
Adults’ criticism
Teacher and parents
Life crises

36. And mother’s explanatory style
Mummy, there’s a dent on my side of the car.
Damn, Bob will kill me.
Daddy told you to always park his new car far away from the other cars
Damn, things like this always happen to me. I’m so lazy, I just want to carry groceries a few feet, not a hundred yards. I’m so stupid.

37. How to become more optimistic

38. ABC
Adversity
Beliefs
Consequences

39. Identify ABC A: Someone cuts you off while you are driving
B: You think “______________”
C: You get pissed off and honk your horn

40. Record your ABC
A: I broke the build. Int. server is not working this morning.
B: Why didn’t I notice it yesterday. I am careless and stupid. I have fix it now, and We lost half-day.
C: I feel stupid and unprofessional. I’m depressed

41. Dispute your beliefs Argue with yourself
Look for alternative explanations, de-catastrophize

42. Change your Belifes
A: I broke the build. Int. server is not working this morning.
B: I was working very hard and got exhausted in the afternoon. I learned that maintanable pace is important. I know what’s broken, so I can fix it very quickly.
C: I feel relieved. I learn a lesson and am a better developer now.

43. Homework
Record your ABC
Evaluate your ABC and dispute it