Defensive Pessimism Research Articles

The Predictability of Defensive Pessimism in Academic Ambition among Graduate Students at Yarmouk University

The Predictability of Defensive Pessimism in Academic Ambition among Graduate Students at Yarmouk University

The Relationship Between Defensive Pessimism, Goal Orientation, and Self-Esteem Among Nursing Students.

Academic achievement in nursing students is significantly influenced by their self-esteem and goal orientation. Defensive pessimism, a strategy where students set low expectations to prepare for potential failure, helps them stay motivated and focused. While this cognitive strategy can boost effort and performance, its relationship with self-esteem and goal orientation remains underexplored among nursing students, revealing a gap in understanding how these factors interact to influence academic success. Assess the level and relationship between defensive pessimism, goal orientation, and self-esteem among nursing students at the Faculty of Nursing. Four hundred students were included in the research using a stratified sampling method followed by a simple randomization sampling technique to select 100 students from each academic year. Tools: The Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire, the Goal Orientation Scale, and the Self-Esteem Scale were used. 56.28% of participants had a low level of defensive pessimism, about two-thirds (62.30%) had a low level of goal orientation, and 70.0% of the students had a mild level of self-esteem. In addition, higher levels of defensive pessimism are significantly associated with stronger goal orientation (r = .291, p < .001) but lower self-esteem (r = -.246, p < .001). Additionally, self-esteem is significantly positively correlated with mastery-performance approach goals (r = .335, p < .001; r = .142, p < .001) and significantly negatively correlated with mastery-performance avoidance goals (r = -.351, p < .001; r = -.041, p < .001). These findings highlight the complex interplay between defensive pessimism, goal orientation, and self-esteem in nursing students. Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing targeted interventions to enhance academic achievement and psychological well-being among nursing students, potentially by fostering adaptive goal-setting strategies and addressing the impacts of defensive pessimism on self-esteem.

Exploring the Relationship between Cyberchondria, Intolerance of Uncertainty, External Health Locus of Control and Defensive Pessimism among Middle-aged Adults

Exploring the Relationship between Cyberchondria, Intolerance of Uncertainty, External Health Locus of Control and Defensive Pessimism among Middle-aged Adults

Untangling the role of optimism, pessimism and coping influences on student mood, motivation and satisfaction

ABSTRACT The study tested the associations between stress and coping on mood, course satisfaction and learning motivation. Undergraduate students (N = 175) were surveyed on student stressors, personality, support and control against mood, course satisfaction and motivation. Defensive pessimism, context control and agreeableness lowered anxiety. Neuroticism, extraversion and hassle ratings towards tutor support, increased it. Control and neuroticism mediated between stress ratings given to support from family and friends and anxiety. Optimism and defensive pessimism lowered depression scores. Those high in Defensive pessimism, compared to those high in optimism, scored lower on anxiety, higher on learning motivation and course satisfaction and this is despite the optimism group being higher in self-efficacy, control and conscientiousness. Both groups scored higher than the cohort average on GPA. The results suggest that context control, defensive pessimism and optimism all offer effective coping, with individual differences an important caveat – for those capable and high in anxiety, defensive pessimism was effective.

Would the Conservative Aspect of Asian Culture Help People Bounce Back?: An Investigation into the Correlation Between Defensive Pessimism and Resilience

The rising interest in resilience as a desired mental health counselling outcome has prompted increased research into its predictors. In addition to genetic factors and excellent social ties, previous researchers argued that people's coping approach toward environmental dangers might be a significant element. Defensive pessimism, a prominent cognitive strategy among conservative civilizations such as Asian culture and persons with a propensity for mental illness, functions as a strategy that protects individuals from failure and misery by decreasing their expectations and anxiety. The author did qualitative research on Asian volunteers to examine the relationship between defensive pessimism and resilience. The results of this paper contradict the authors' hypothesis that adopting defensive pessimism would increase individuals' resilience. And the findings reveal a significant negative correlation between the two. Additionally, the significant linear regression indicated that defensive pessimism might be a weak negative predictor of resilience. The results may contribute to the early identification of harmful coping strategies in psychological assessment and help with treatment plan development in mental health counselling.

Defensive pessimism and precautionary action during the COVID pandemic

AbstractThe purpose of this research was to test, in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the hypothesis that individuals who use defensive pessimism as a strategy to manage anxiety are likely to act to prevent or mitigate negative outcomes. Across three crowd‐sourced samples (Total N = 1416), defensive pessimism was correlated with self‐reports of more precautionary behavior (Studies 1, 2, &amp; 3) and fewer COVID‐positive results (Study 3).

Characteristics of Reflective and Non-Reflective Youth at Different Levels of Achievement Motivation

The following article is an attempt to reveal the features of the influence of the level of reflexivity on different aspects of the psyche of the Armenian youth. Reflection is the process of recognizing and explaining individual’s inner mental world with its activities and states. The process is aimed at understanding one's own actions, inner states, feelings, experiences, analyzing them and making appropriate conclusions. In particular, an attempt was made to present the characteristics of the behavior of reflexive and non-reflexive youth with different manifestations of the motivation to achieve success. Achievement motivation allows the individual to define goals better and present them to others. Achievement motivation stands for the active life position that helps a person to overcome difficulties and develop as a result. We grouped the whole concept into two behavioral strategies that are activated in case of motivation to achieve success and avoid failure. Accordingly, the strategy of defensive pessimism is fixed in case of the motivation to avoid failure, and the strategy of strategic optimism - in case of the motivation to achieve success. The variations in a person's objective positions, their corresponding social expectations and self-esteem are determined by the above-mentioned behavioral strategies.

The Effect of Defensive Pessimism and Optimism on Failed Entrepreneurs’ Re-Entry İntention

This study aims to determine the factors that encourage entrepreneurs who have failed to show re-entry intention by focusing on the effect of optimism and defensive pessimism on the intention of their re-entry intention. In this study, entrepreneurs who have failed in sustaining their business will be the focus subject. This study uses the method of distributing questionnaires for data collection and processes it using SmartPLS 3.0 software by analyzing the outer model to test the convergent validity, discriminant validity, and reliability. The questionnaires were distributed through social media such as WhatsApp and Line. 278 respondents participated in this study which was conducted from August to October 2021. The results of this study showed career ambitions and public self-awareness have a positive impact on optimism, a negative relationship with fear of failure leads to pessimism, a positive relationship with self-doubt leads to defensive pessimism, and coping humor doesn’t have a moderating effect on the path from defensive pessimism and optimism to the intention to re-enter.

Defensive pessimism-like thinking in practice: the (dys)functional strategy for coping with risk uncertainty in the offshore oilfield?

UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) offshore oilfield drilling is recognised as a high-hazard occupation that occurs in one of the riskiest locations in the world. Dangerous machinery, combustible hydrocarbons, unpredictable weather conditions, rapidly shifting situational factors, rotating crews, and lengthy travel over rough seas by helicopter are just some salient risk-factors. At present, little scholarly research explores how regular offshore workers develop cognitive strategies to attempt to cope with ever-present risks. This research draws on an embedded ethnography of a remote offshore oilfield drilling platform in the UK North Sea. The risks of working offshore and the strategies workers developed and employed to deal with continual risk uncertainties were discussed in face-to-face interviews with thirty-five active drilling crew as they laboured on complex well-drilling operations. Notably, defensive pessimism (DP) like thinking was recurrently exhibited, with many workers recounting detailed narratives of mental role-play for ‘worst case’ offshore and helicopter travel scenarios. Often, thinking appeared interlinked with strengthening motifs for workers’ preparation and planning skills regarding occupational risk possibilities. These strategies are presented, as is a discussion of the effects such strategies had upon oilmen. The benefits of growing scholarly conversation surrounding DP-like thinking in practice are highlighted. alongside the methodological application of DP theory for further study surrounding practical development of coping strategies in similar high-risk workspaces.

Defensive pessimism and its effect on supply chain performance

PurposeThis paper addresses a gap in task performance research, with a focus on supply chain operations, by exploring the role that defensive pessimism (DP)—a phenomenon sparsely studied in supply chain literature—has in the workplace. It investigates the roles that task complexity, perceptions of control and employee situatedness in the workplace play as predictors of DP, as well as addresses the relationship between defensive pessimism and supply chain performance.Design/methodology/approachFive hypotheses are developed and empirically tested employing the data-generating method, Monte Carlo simulation and then applying factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) to survey data from practitioner members of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.FindingsThe results reveal that task complexity and external locus of control heighten perceptions among employees that task completion could be outside their locus of control. The increased tendency to be defensively pessimistic about workplace commitments negatively impacts supply chain performance. This study found that task complexity and external locus of control encourage DP, negatively impacting supply chain performance (SCP).Originality/valueThis study explored underlying causes of defensive pessimism, a self-limiting behavior among supply chain professionals. In understanding the role of DP, it is possible to enhance SCP by managing task complexity, external locus of control and job autonomy—predictors of defensive pessimism in work commitments.

The role of neuroticism and conscientious facets in academic motivation.

IntroductionPersonality differences have been demonstrated to influence an individual's academic performance in different ways. Notably, conscientiousness is the most consistent significant predictor of academic performance, while neuroticism shows inconsistent results.ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the relationship between the facets of conscientiousness and neuroticism on academic motivation.MethodThe study was conducted in Australia and consisted of 285 undergraduate students. The International Personality Item Pool and Motivated Strategies Learning Questionnaire were used to measure personality and motivation, respectively. Structural equation modeling results revealed that conscientiousness had the most significant relationship with academic motivation, while neuroticism was negatively related. The conscientious facets of self‐efficacy and achievement striving were positively related to academic motivation. The results also revealed that the anxiety facet of neuroticism was the only significant positive predictor for academic motivation, while depression and vulnerability were negatively related.ConclusionThis study reveals how personality facets contribute to academic motivation over assessing grades and superordinate factors alone. Trait‐level anxiety significantly contributes to academic motivation, helping us shed light on underlying mechanisms such as defensive pessimism, resulting in higher motivation due to fearing the worst.

The predictors of defensive pessimism: Cognitive flexibility, anxiety, and big-five personality traits

The predictors of defensive pessimism: Cognitive flexibility, anxiety, and big-five personality traits

Stakeholders\u2019 perspectives and willingness to institutionalize linkages between the formal health system and informal healthcare providers in urban slums in southeast, Nigeria

BackgroundThe widely available informal healthcare providers (IHPs) present opportunities to improve access to appropriate essential health services in underserved urban areas in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, they are not formally linked to the formal health system. This study was conducted to explore the perspectives of key stakeholders about institutionalizing linkages between the formal health systems and IHPs, as a strategy for improving access to appropriate healthcare services in Nigeria.MethodsData was collected from key stakeholders in the formal and informal health systems, whose functions cover the major slums in Enugu and Onitsha cities in southeast Nigeria. Key informant interviews (n = 43) were conducted using semi-structured interview guides among representatives from the formal and informal health sectors. Interview transcripts were read severally, and using thematic content analysis, recurrent themes were identified and used for a narrative synthesis.ResultsAlthough the dominant view among respondents is that formalization of linkages between IHPs and the formal health system will likely create synergy and quality improvement in health service delivery, anxieties and defensive pessimism were equally expressed. On the one hand, formal sector respondents are pessimistic about limited skills, poor quality of care, questionable recognition, and the enormous challenges of managing a pluralistic health system. Conversely, the informal sector pessimists expressed uncertainty about the outcomes of a government-led supervision and the potential negative impact on their practice. Some of the proposed strategies for institutionalizing linkages between the two health sub-systems include: sensitizing relevant policymakers and gatekeepers to the necessity of pluralistic healthcare; mapping and documenting of informal providers and respective service their areas for registration and accreditation, among others. Perceived threats to institutionalizing these linkages include: weak supervision and monitoring of informal providers by the State Ministry of Health due to lack of funds for logistics; poor data reporting and late referrals from informal providers; lack of referral feedback from formal to informal providers, among others.ConclusionsOpportunities and constraints to institutionalize linkages between the formal health system and IHPs exist in Nigeria. However, there is a need to design an inclusive system that ensures tolerance, dignity, and mutual learning for all stakeholders in the country and in other LMICs.

The validation of the English Impostor-Profile 30 and the exploratory formulation of the learned helplessness model of the impostor phenomenon

The learned helplessness model of the Impostor Phenomenon is an exploratory approach to explain the Impostor Phenomenon by linking the constructs of growth mindset, learned helplessness, grit, thought-action fusion, and defensive pessimism. In this study, we (a) confirmatorily tested the factor structure of the English IPP30, (b) examined the instrument's nomological validity, and (c) exploratorily formulated a path model to explain the effects of learned helplessness on the Impostor Phenomenon. The sample consisted of n = 376 persons (46% female). The CFI indicated the bifactorial model of the English IPP30 as best-fitting, while the subscale correlations suggested the instrument's nomological validity. The exploratory path model showed sufficient goodness of fit. It proclaims a labeling as talented that decreases the growth mindset expression, which negatively correlates with learned helplessness. In addition, the model states learned helplessness as a central model component associated with grit, thought-action fusion, and finally, the Impostor Phenomenon.

Japanese adolescents’ attitudes towards learning English: A perspective from the self-worth theory

In this study, the authors investigated the attitudes of Japanese junior high school students towards studying English from the perspective of the Self-worth Theory. A total of 383 students aged 12 to 15 years participated in the qualitative study. Students were required to write three essays about how they would react under hypothetical circumstances in which their feelings of self-worth might be threatened. The contents of the students’ essays were analysed and matched with mechanisms within the quadrants of Covington’s Quadripolar Model of Achievement Motivation. Overall, the results suggested that the adolescents appeared to show traits of low defensive pessimism, high self-handicapping, and high helplessness, placing the students on the borderline of the Self-protectors and the Failure Acceptors. Reasons for the findings and pedagogical implications will be discussed.

Теория счастья в XXI веке: в поисках социально-экономических оснований

The article considers the modern revision of the problem of happiness in philosophy, economics, social policy and architecture. It shows that in the 21st century interest has increased in studies of external socioeconomic, environmental and urban planning aspects of happiness. In the article, this view is called externalistic and is contrasted with the earlier internalistic approaches that searched for and developed the internal (mindset-dependent) foundations of happiness. Examples of effective social and economic policies aimed to design external conditions for social well-being and happiness are considered. In the context of modern socioeconomic research, relevant philosophical approaches to happiness and conditions for its achievement are revised. The article juxtaposes theories of happiness as peace of mind and happiness as the pursuit of a dream (self-realization). The second paradigm is actively popularized in the modern society and in business management; however, it gives rise to people's overestimated expectations from and impracticable requirements for themselves. The results of recent research in the field of “happiness economics” demonstrate that happiness has scaled up in recent years from a private task of an individual to a system task that needs to be solved by society and government. Happiness has become a criterion of political and economic efficiency, as well as a significant factor in the company's high productivity and popularity. The article shows that both external (economic, political, environmental) and internal (philosophical, psychological) factors of happiness are broadly used in modern economic “happiness management”. Special attention in the research is paid to new investigations that reveal the dependence of happiness, as well as others human qualities (like altruism or egoism), on reasonably or unreasonably arranged design of the ur-ban/rural environment. The article also stresses that, among Silicon Valley developers, millionaire entrepreneurs and founders of large companies in the United States, the ideas of Stoic philosophy have gained great popularity. This philosophy is used as an effective “operating system” in conditions of constant stress and as a “mental tool” to overcome the fear of death. Stoic ideas of “negative thinking” and “defensive pessimism” are given in the article as examples of such “antistress” methods. Finally, the article cites research that show unique cultures in the world in which happiness is not the highest social value. Such studies allow reconsidering the universality of the category of happiness as a common measure of social well-being.

How Do Failed Entrepreneurs Cope with Their Prior Failure When They Seek Subsequent Re-Entry into Serial Entrepreneurship? Failed Entrepreneurs' Optimism and Defensive Pessimism and Coping Humor as a Moderator.

Entrepreneurial failure is prevalent, and particularly when the COVID−19 crisis exacerbates the economic recession, it becomes even more prevalent. Entrepreneurs experience an intensive emotional crisis when their ventures fail, and this deleterious impact, including stress and emotional pain, may prevent failed entrepreneurs (FEs) from restarting; hence, how they cope with failure has received increased attention in recent years. However, most of the extant literature focuses on success rather than failure, and there is very limited literature on how FEs cope with the psychological and emotional crisis caused by failure. This study focuses on FEs’ use of optimism and defensive pessimism as coping strategies within the mental simulation theory with respect to their re-entry intentions. It examines the impact of career ambition and public self-awareness on optimism, of the fear of failure (FoF) and self-doubt, on defensive pessimism, and of coping humor as a moderator. We used structural equation modeling to analyze the data of 277 Korean FEs who have actual entrepreneurial failure experiences and actively prepared for their re-entry. The results show that career ambitions and public self-awareness have an impact on optimism, and FoF and self-doubt lead to defensive pessimism. Coping humor also has a moderating effect on the path from defensive pessimism to the intention to re-enter. This study advances the literature on coping mechanisms that FEs employ to manage the negative impact of failure and prepare for their subsequent re-entry. Its theoretical model, based on the mental simulation theory combined with social comparison theory, provides a possible integrative framework that includes both the pervasively held view of entrepreneurs’ optimism related to overconfidence and their defensive pessimism related to their vulnerability due to their ventures’ failure. Thus, this study makes theoretical contributions to the literature of entrepreneurial failure, as well as practical implications for policymakers and educators who assist FEs in successfully coping with entrepreneurial failure and re-entry.

Influence of Defensive Pessimism and Assertiveness on Civic Engagement Among Rural Dwellers in Akwa Ibom State

Influence of Defensive Pessimism and Assertiveness on Civic Engagement Among Rural Dwellers in Akwa Ibom State

The Role of Defensive Pessimism and Love and Sex Perception on Rape Victim Blame Attribution among Public Servants in a Nigerian City.

Existing literature have decried the propensity to blame victims of rape which ultimately translates worryingly into a tolerance of crimes against persons. Being a lopsided and an understudied phenomenon, the present study sets out to explore the role of defensive pessimism and love, and sex perception on rape victim blaming among civil servants in Akwa Ibom State Civil Service Commission, Nigeria. Using a cross-sectional survey research design, 167 civil servants were recruited, comprising 84 males and 83 females, with mean age of 36.29 and standard deviation of 8.53. To measure variables of interest, three instruments: Perception of Love and Sex Scale, Attitudes Towards Rape Victims Scale, and the revised Defensive Pessimism Questionnaire were adopted. To analyze the information obtained from the measuring instruments, descriptive and regression statistics were employed, and results indicated that the less defensive pessimism civil servants reported, the more victim blame they exhibited. Findings also revealed that civil servants who perceived love and sex negatively reported more victim blame. From this study, a new link was formed between variables of interest and the need for adequate mass sensitization on the urgent need of condemning strongly acts of rape and sexual assaults, coupled with advocacy for desensitization on victim blame among "survivors" (rape victims).

The psychological impact of fertility treatment suspensions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PurposeTo examine the psychological impact of fertility treatment suspensions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and to clarify psychosocial predictors of better or worse mental health.Methods92 women from Canada and the United States (ages 20–45 years) whose fertility treatments had been cancelled were recruited via social media. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms, perceived mental health impact, and change in quality of life related to treatment suspensions. Potential predictors of psychological outcomes were also examined, including several personality traits, aspects of social support, illness cognitions, and coping strategies.Results52% of respondents endorsed clinical levels of depressive symptoms. On a 7-point scale, participants endorsed a significant decline in overall quality of life (M(SD) = -1.3(1.3), p < .0001) as well as a significant decline in mental health related to treatment suspensions on a scale from -5 to +5 (M(SD) = -2.1(2.1), p < .001). Several psychosocial variables were found to positively influence these outcomes: lower levels of defensive pessimism (r = -.25, p < .05), greater infertility acceptance (r = .51, p < .0001), better quality social support (r = .31, p < .01), more social support seeking (r = .35, p < .001) and less avoidance of infertility reminders (r = -.23, p = .029).ConclusionFertility treatment suspensions have had a considerable negative impact on women’s mental health and quality of life. However, these findings point to several protective psychosocial factors that can be fostered in the future to help women cope.