Optimism and mental imagery: A possible cognitive marker to promote well-being?

Abstract

Optimism is associated with a range of benefits not only for general well-being, but also for mental and physical health. The development of psychological interventions to boost optimism derived from cognitive science would have the potential to provide significant public health benefits, yet cognitive markers of optimism are little understood. The current study aimed to take a first step in this direction by identifying a cognitive marker for optimism that could provide a modifiable target for innovative interventions. In particular we predicted that the ability to generate vivid positive mental imagery of the future would be associated with dispositional optimism. A community sample of 237 participants completed a survey comprising measures of mental imagery and optimism, and socio-demographic information. Vividness of positive future imagery was significantly associated with optimism, even when adjusting for socio-demographic factors and everyday imagery use. The ability to generate vivid mental imagery of positive future events may provide a modifiable cognitive marker of optimism. Boosting positive future imagery could provide a cognitive target for treatment innovations to promote optimism, with implications for mental health and even physical well-being.

Effects of a best-possible-self mental imagery exercise on mood and dysfunctional attitudes

“…In order to establish a causal relation optimism needs to be manipulated experimentally. It has been shown previously that the vividness of positive mental imagery of the future is associated with optimism, suggesting that imagery exercises are a powerful way to increase optimism and thereby mental wellbeing (Blackwell et al, 2013). In line with this, previous experimental studies that used imagery exercises to induce optimism found that imagery of positive future events indeed increased optimism and positive mood ratings (Sheldon and Lyubomirsky, 2006;Peters et al, 2010;Meevissen et al, 2011).…”

Dispositional Optimism, Affective States and Judgements of Future Life Events

“…Other studies found no association between dispositional optimism and judgements of negative events, such as perceiving the risk of heart attack, obesity or severe acute respiratory syndrome on samples of adults (e.g., Geers et al, 2013;Radcliffe & Klein, 2002) and undergraduate students (e.g., Ji, Zhang, Usborne, & Guan, 2004). Moreover, previous literature consistently showed that adults with a high level of dispositional optimism were more likely to expect more positive events to happen to them in the future (e.g., Blackwell et al, 2013;Sharot, Riccardi, Raio, & Phelps, 2007).…”

Traducción y adaptación transcultural de la escala Life Orientation Test- Revised para medir optimismo disposicional en cuidadores de pacientes con cáncer en Colombia

“…El optimismo disposicional se ha asociado con una buena percepción de apoyo social [10], con la generación de imágenes más vívidas sobre los eventos positivos que se quieren experimentar [11] y puede ayudar a proteger al individuo de la ansiedad y la depresión en momentos en que el logro no es alcanzado [12]. En una revisión sistemática [8] algunos hallazgos resaltan la importancia del optimismo cuando se padecen enfermedades crónicas: bajos niveles de ansiedad y depresión a través de los seguimientos en pacientes con cáncer de mama, influencia indirecta en comportamientos relacionados con la salud en pacientes con problemas cardiovasculares, reducción en la incidencia de enfermedad coronaria en mujeres y promoción del bienestar subjetivo y de comportamientos protectores.…”