Optimism and Health

Optimism and Health

PSY 220

Optimism and Health

The affects of optimism on psychological and physical health.

Optimism is the tendency to look on the brighter side of things or to expect and see the best in all things. Optimism can be linked to health as stress can cause damage to a person inside and out. Thinking positively will help you be happier, healthier and things will most likely turn out better for you as well. There are two independent types of optimism: dispositional optimism, which is similar to other personality traits, and explanatory optimism, which affects an individual's interpretation of success and failure. Individuals with high scores on optimism have better health outcomes, and when they are confronted with life-threatening illnesses, they will...