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Learned Optimism - Book Review

The book review summarizes Martin Seligman's book "Learned Optimism". It makes three key points: 1) Optimism can lead to happier, healthier and more successful lives while pessimism is learned from experiences of helplessness. 2) Both pessimism and optimism are learned behaviors that can be described by "explanatory styles" relating to how permanent, pervasive, and personal events are perceived. 3) The book teaches how to learn optimism using the A-B-C-D-E technique of recording adversity, beliefs, consequences, disputing beliefs, and energizing optimistic perspectives.

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112 views14 pages

Learned Optimism - Book Review

The book review summarizes Martin Seligman's book "Learned Optimism". It makes three key points: 1) Optimism can lead to happier, healthier and more successful lives while pessimism is learned from experiences of helplessness. 2) Both pessimism and optimism are learned behaviors that can be described by "explanatory styles" relating to how permanent, pervasive, and personal events are perceived. 3) The book teaches how to learn optimism using the A-B-C-D-E technique of recording adversity, beliefs, consequences, disputing beliefs, and energizing optimistic perspectives.

Uploaded by

Arvind
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Book Review

Learned Optimism
Martin Seligman
Executive Summary
• Optimism can lead to happier, healthier and
a more successful life

• Both pessimism and optimism can be learnt

• Talent , skills being equal – people with


optimist outlook are more likely to succeed
• Pessimism comes from state of
“helplessness” and this is learnt from
experiences

• Pessimism and optimism can be described in


terms of “explanatory styles”
Explanatory Style
• Manner in which you explain to yourself why
events happen

• Optimistic explanatory style stops


helplessness while pessimistic style spreads
it
Aspects of Explanatory Styles

Temporary
Permanence
(Time)
Permanent

Specific
Pervasiveness
(Space)
Universal

Internal
Personalisation
Externalisation
Permanence
Bad Events Good Events

Permanent Temporary Temporary Permanent


(Pessimistic) (Optimistic) (Pessimistic) (Optimistic)
You always nag You nag when I don’t It’s my lucky day I am always lucky
clean my room
The boss is an idiot Boss is in a bad I try hard I’m talented
mood
You never talk to me You haven’t talked to My rival got tired My rival is no good
me lately

PmB PmG
0 – Opt, 1-Pess 1 –Opt, 0 - Pess
0-1 • Very optimistic 7-8 • Very optimistic
2-3 • Moderately optimistic 6 • Moderately optimistic
4 • Average 4-5 • Average
5- • Quite pessimistic 3 • Quite pessimistic
6 • Very pessimistic 0-2 • Very pessimistic
7-8
Pervasiveness
Bad Events Good Events

Universal Specific Specific Universal


(Pessimistic) (Optimistic) (Pessimistic) (Optimistic)
All teachers are Prof. X is unfair I’m smart at Math I’m smart
unfair
I am repulsive I am repulsive to him My broker knows oil My broker needs
stocks Wall Street
Books are useless This book is useless I was charming to I was charming
her

PvB PvG
0 – Opt, 1-Pess 1 –Opt, 0 - Pess
0-1 • Very optimistic 7-8 • Very optimistic
2-3 • Moderately optimistic 6 • Moderately optimistic
4 • Average 4-5 • Average
5- • Quite pessimistic 3 • Quite pessimistic
6 • Very pessimistic 0-2 • Very pessimistic
7-8
Personalisation
Bad Events Good Events

Internal External External Internal


(Low Self Esteem) (High Self Esteem) (Pessimistic) (Optimistic)
I’m stupid You’re stupid A stroke of luck I can take advantage
of luck
I’m not good at I have no luck at My team mates skills My skill
poker poker
I’m insecure I grew up in poverty

PmB PmG
0 – Opt, 1-Pess 1 –Opt, 0 - Pess
0-1 • Very optimistic 7-8 • Very optimistic
2-3 • Moderately optimistic 6 • Moderately optimistic
4 • Average 4-5 • Average
5- • Quite pessimistic 3 • Quite pessimistic
6 • Very pessimistic 0-2 • Very pessimistic
7-8
Test Score
PmB – Permanent Bad ________ Pmg – Permanent Good ________
5, 13, 20, 21, 29, 33, 42, and 46 2, 10, 14, 15, 24, 26, 38, and 40

PvB -Pervasive Bad ________ PvG – Pervasive Good ________


8, 16, 17, 18, 22, 32, 44, and 48 6, 7, 28, 31, 34, 35, 37, and 43

HoB – Hope ________


(PmB + PvB)

PsB – Personalisation Bad ________ PsG – Personalisation Good ________


3, 9, 19, 25, 30, 39, 41, and 47 1, 4, 11, 12, 23, 27, 36, and 45

Total B ________ Total G ________


PmB+PvB+PsB PmG+PvG+PsG

G-B ________
Test Score
HoB – Hope G-B
(PmB + PvB)

Hope Optimism – Across the board


0-2 • Extraordinarily hopeful >8 • Very optimistic
3-6 • Moderately hopeful 6-8 • Moderately optimistic
7-8 • Average 3-5 • Average
9 – 11 • Moderately hopeless 1-2 • Moderately pessimistic
12 - 16 • Severely hopeless <1 • Very pessimistic

G (Total Good) B (Total Bad)


19+ • Very optimistic 3-6 • Very optimistic
17-18 • Moderately optimistic 6-9 • Moderately optimistic
14 - 16 • Average 10-11 • Average
11 – 13 • Moderately pessimistic 12-14 • Moderately pessimistic
< 10 • Very pessimistic 14+ • Very pessimistic
Pessimism is Not Bad
• Pessimists are realists
• Grounded
Learning Optimism
A-B–C–D-E
• Adversity – Record what happened

• Belief – Interpret the adversity – Thoughts

• Consequences – record the feelings and


what you did
Learning Optimism
A-B–C–D-E
• Dispute – your belief

• Energise – feel the change


Thank You

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