• Jessica Fosnaugh, Andrew L Geers, and Justin A Wellman.
• Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, OH 43066-3390, USA.
• J Soc Psychol. 2009 Jun 1; 149 (3): 349-64.

AbstractResearch on generalized optimism has been primarily correlational in nature. The authors attempted to experimentally manipulate optimism separately from several related constructs (i.e., mood and self-esteem). They examined 2 different optimism manipulations. For the 1st one, participants generated thoughts about positive future events to induce an optimistic orientation. For the 2nd one, the authors exposed participants to an optimism-priming task. Both manipulations produced modest increases on a dispositional optimism measure and a situational optimism measure, compared with a control group. The momentary increases appeared particular to the optimism construct because the authors did not find similar increases on measures of mood and self-esteem. The authors provide preliminary evidence that generalized optimism can be validly and discriminantly manipulated.

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