Abstract
Over the last years, understanding the implications of prospective thinking toward the future has become of increasing interest. This study aims to delve into the relation between dispositional optimism, one of the most relevant prospective constructs, and life satisfaction. Additionally, we also seek to prove the mediating effect of different cognitive and affective variables associated with both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being on this relationship. A first study is conducted with 275 secondary students to assess the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction through self-control and grit (14.82, SD = 1.07), which indicates a mediating effect of grit but not of self-control. A second study is carried out with 1,356 university students (21.5, SD = 2.35) to demonstrate the mediating effect of positive affect on dispositional optimism and life satisfaction. Results show a strong relationship between optimism and positive affect, but no mediating effect on life satisfaction. Finally, a third study comprising 371 secondary students (14.12, SD = 1.78) demonstrates the existence of a serial multiple mediation from gratitude and meaning in life over the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction. Implications are discussed in terms of how prospective variables like dispositional optimism may lead to an increase in subjective well-being (SWB) through different affective and cognitive mechanisms.
Highlights
Over the last years, there has been increasing interest in the implications of the prospective predictions of human beings (Baumeister et al, 2016)
Dispositional optimism is deemed one of the most relevant prospective constructs as it refers to the positive expectations we hold for the future and is related to our own motivational processes (Carver and Scheier, 2014)
This study aimed to demonstrate through three studies how a prospective variable like optimism relates with life satisfaction through the activation of successful goal pursuit, positive affect, gratitude, and meaning in life
Summary
There has been increasing interest in the implications of the prospective predictions of human beings (Baumeister et al, 2016). Dispositional optimism is deemed one of the most relevant prospective constructs as it refers to the positive expectations we hold for the future and is related to our own motivational processes (Carver and Scheier, 2014). The model on which the scale was based considered both pessimism and optimism prospective measures. These two measures take into account the general expectations for the life events of a person throughout life. By means of this test, a number of studies linked optimism to different well-being measures based on the hedonic and eudaimonic approaches (Nes and Segerstrom, 2006). Optimism is related to hedonic indicators such as experienced positive affect (Carver and Scheier, 1998), and to eudaimonic measures like psychological well-being (Scheier et al, 2001; Carver et al, 2005)
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