Positive life-event expectancies are associated with greater optimism, well-being and emotional intelligence

Written by Júlia Patakiné Bősze, Ferenc Köteles, Fanni Komlósi, Szilvia Boros, Attila Szabo on . Posted in Volume XXIV, Nr 2

Authors

Júlia Patakiné Bősze1, Ferenc Köteles1, Fanni Komlósi1, Szilvia Boros1, Attila Szabo1,2,*

1Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
2Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary

Abstract

Positive thinking is connected to mental health and recovery from disease. Adopting the expectancy theory, the aim of this cross-sectional research was to test the hypothesis that individuals holding more positive life-event expectancies score lower on pessimism and higher on optimism, well-being, emotional intelligence and life satisfaction in contrast to those holding negative life expectancies. Volunteers (n = 254) evaluated five life-scenarios having either positive or negative outcomes and completed four online questionnaires. The ratio of positive and negative expectancies was used for grouping. Results revealed that people holding positive life-event expectancies reported greater well-being, optimism, and emotional intelligence, and lesser pessimism than respondents who held negative life-event expectancies. After repeating the test separately for two subgroups having weak or strong positive life-event expectancies, the differences, in all dependent measures, either vanished or became more robust, respectively. The results suggest that strong positive life-event expectancies are associated with greater well-being, optimism, emotional intelligence, and lower pessimism.

Keywords: adults, cognition, mental health, outcome expectation, thought

PAGES:139-152

doi:10.24193/cbb.2020.24.08

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