This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Davidson, K. Articles by Prkachin, K. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Davidson, K. Articles by Prkachin, K. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Optimism and Unrealistic Optimism have an Interacting Impact on Health-Promoting Behavior and Knowledge Changes

University of Alabama, kdavids{at}gp.as.ua.edu

Kenneth Prkachin

University of Northern British Columbia

A general predisposition toward hopefulness (optimism) and a negation of relative risk of later health problems (unrealistic optimism) have both been thought to predict health-promoting behavior, albeit in differing directions. In Study 1 (n = 72), unrealistic optimism and optimism interacted to predict changes in exercise behavior across 6 weeks; those high on both dimensions showed the largest decrease in their reports of exercise. In Study 2 (n = 60), those high on both dimensions showed the smallest increase in their coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention knowledge after attending a CH1D prevention lecture. The results support the discriminant validity of the two optimism personality constructs while also implicating their joint importance as determinants of health-promoting behaviors.

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 23, No. 6, 617-625 (1997)
DOI: 10.1177/0146167297236005


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. A. Busseri, B. L. Choma, and S. W. Sadava Functional or Fantasy? Examining the Implications of Subjective Temporal Perspective "Trajectories" for Life Satisfaction Pers Soc Psychol Bull, March 1, 2009; 35(3): 295 - 308. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. C. Thompson and M. M. Schlehofer Control, Denial, and Heightened Sensitivity Reactions to Personal Threat: Testing the Generalizability of the Threat Orientation Approach Pers Soc Psychol Bull, August 1, 2008; 34(8): 1070 - 1083. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. A. Ouellette, R. Hessling, F. X. Gibbons, M. Reis-Bergan, and M. Gerrard Using Images to Increase Exercise Behavior: Prototypes Versus Possible Selves Pers Soc Psychol Bull, May 1, 2005; 31(5): 610 - 620. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. Renner Biased Reasoning: Adaptive Responses to Health Risk Feedback Pers Soc Psychol Bull, March 1, 2004; 30(3): 384 - 396. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. L. Geers and G. D. Lassiter Effects of Affective Expectations on Affective Experience: The Moderating Role of Optimism-Pessimism Pers Soc Psychol Bull, August 1, 2002; 28(8): 1026 - 1039. [Abstract] [PDF]

				N. M. Radcliffe and W. M. P. Klein Dispositional, Unrealistic, and Comparative Optimism: Differential Relations with the Knowledge and Processing of Risk Information and Beliefs about Personal Risk Pers Soc Psychol Bull, June 1, 2002; 28(6): 836 - 846. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Griffing, D. F. Ragin, R. E. Sage, L. Madry, L. E. Bingham, and B. J. Primm Domestic Violence Survivors' Self-Identified Reasons for Returning to Abusive Relationships J Interpers Violence, March 1, 2002; 17(3): 306 - 319. [Abstract] [PDF]