Studying optimism in general can be an efficient way to understand the relationship between personality traits and mental health. In the context of the pandemic, research has shown that both having a positive outlook and avoiding excessively negative thoughts were relevant factors in better coping with the situation.
Neuroscience investigates how emotions and personality traits, such as pessimism and optimism, influence our perception of the world and brain functioning.
Optimism is often associated with greater activity in brain regions linked to reward, such as the nucleus accumbens, promoting a positive view of the future and driving proactive behaviors.
On the other hand, pessimism is related to greater activation of the amygdala, responsible for the response to fear and stress, resulting in a negative and defensive view of reality.
These two emotional states not only shape our reactions to everyday situations, but also have significant impacts on mental and physical health, demonstrating how neurobiology can influence the way we view life.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have sought to understand how these psychological traits have influenced people’s behavior and well-being.
The study analyzed data from a large group of older adults to investigate whether those who were more optimistic before the pandemic responded differently than those who were more pessimistic.
The group used data from the Health and Retirement Study, a large study that looks at the lives of Americans aged 50 and older. The study includes a sample that is fairly representative of the U.S. population.
In 2016, participants were asked to answer a series of questions about how they felt about the future. For example, they were asked whether, when times were tough, they tended to hope for the best or whether they rarely believed that things would turn out the way they wanted.
These responses helped the researchers better understand participants’ levels of optimism and pessimism.
During the COVID-19 pandemic (March–May 2020), respondents answered questions about health-related behaviors that increased or reduced the risk of COVID transmission, including frequency of mask use, travel habits, and likelihood of staying home.
The results suggest that optimism was linked to behaviors that helped reduce transmission of the virus and better mental health during this difficult time.
One of the study's findings was that pessimism, more than a lack of optimism, played an important role in the adoption of protective measures against COVID-19. This means that less pessimistic people may not have followed the recommended precautions as much, while those with greater pessimism were more cautious.
However, when it comes to psychological well-being, both optimism and pessimism had an influence, especially through changes in social contacts and physical activity.
In addition, the researchers suggest that studying optimism in general may be an efficient way to understand the relationship between personality traits and mental health. In the context of the pandemic, they found that both having a positive outlook and avoiding excessively negative thoughts were relevant factors in better coping with the situation.
This reinforces the idea that, in addition to cultivating optimism, reducing pessimism can be an important way to promote healthy behaviors and improve quality of life.
READ MORE:
Optimism and pessimism were prospectively associated with adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic
Jeewon Oh, Emily N. Tetreau, Mariah F. Purol, Eric S. Kim, and William J. Chopik
Journal of Research in Personality. Volume 113, December 2024, 104541
Abstract:
Using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined the association between optimism/pessimism before the pandemic and adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, optimism was associated with behaviors that reduce COVID-19 transmission and higher psychological well-being (βs>|.196|) through changes in social contacts (indirect effect βs> |.004|) and/or increases in physical activity (βs=|.01|). Separating optimism and pessimism, we found that only pessimism was associated with behaviors that reduce risk, but both optimism and pessimism were associated with psychological well-being. By investigating them in the context of new public health challenges, we found that while the presence of optimism and absence of pessimism may both be resources for well-being, the absence of pessimism may be particularly important for health-relevant behaviors.
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