Learned Optimism
The practice of cultivating an optimistic explanatory style by challenging pessimistic thoughts, as developed by Martin Seligman.
Also known as: Optimistic Explanatory Style
Category: Psychology & Mental Models
Tags: positive-psychology, optimism, mindsets, resilience, mental-health, psychology, cognitive-psychology
Explanation
Learned optimism is a concept developed by psychologist Martin Seligman that demonstrates optimism is not a fixed trait but a skill that can be developed through practice. It's the counterpart to his earlier research on learned helplessness, showing that just as we can learn to feel helpless, we can also learn to be more optimistic.
The key to learned optimism lies in understanding explanatory style - how we explain the causes of events in our lives. Pessimists tend to explain bad events as:
- **Personal**: 'It's my fault'
- **Permanent**: 'It's going to last forever'
- **Pervasive**: 'It's going to affect everything'
Optimists, by contrast, explain bad events as:
- **External**: 'It was due to circumstances'
- **Temporary**: 'It will pass'
- **Specific**: 'It only affects this one area'
Learned optimism involves recognizing pessimistic thought patterns and actively disputing them using the ABCDE model:
- **A**dversity: Identify the challenging situation
- **B**elief: Notice your automatic thoughts about it
- **C**onsequence: Observe the emotional and behavioral results
- **D**isputation: Challenge the pessimistic beliefs with evidence
- **E**nergization: Notice the positive change in feelings and actions
Research shows that learned optimism has significant benefits including better physical health, greater persistence in the face of obstacles, lower rates of depression, and improved performance in school and work. It's not about denial or ignoring problems, but about developing a more balanced and empowering way of interpreting life's challenges.
The key insight is that our explanatory style is largely a habit of thinking that we can change with awareness and practice.
Related Concepts
← Back to all concepts