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Originalia

Unterschiedliche Wertschätzung, aber gleiche Unterstützungsbereitschaft

Soziale Reaktionen auf Optimisten, Pessimisten und Realisten aus der Geberperspektive

Published Online:November 15, 2007https://doi.org/10.1026/0943-8149.15.4.168

Abstract

Zusammenfassung. Soziale Netzwerke und insbesondere soziale Unterstützung werden als ein zentraler vermittelnder Mechanismus zwischen Optimismus und Gesundheit diskutiert. In dieser Studie wird die Annahme geprüft, dass Optimisten, Pessimisten und Realisten unterschiedliche soziale Reaktionen hervorrufen. Den Probanden (N = 168) wurden Vignetten präsentiert, in denen eine Zielperson (Target) optimistisches, pessimistisches bzw. realistisches Bewältigungsverhalten in einer Stresssituation zeigt. Anschließend wurden per Fragebogen (a) die Bewertung des Verhaltens und der Persönlichkeit des Targets, (b) die Sympathie gegenüber dem Target sowie (c) die Bereitschaft zu sozialer Unterstützung erfasst. Hinsichtlich des Verhaltens, der Persönlichkeit sowie der Sympathie wurden die optimistischen und realistischen Targets positiver bewertet als die pessimistischen Targets. Allerdings gingen diese positiveren Bewertungen der Optimisten und Realisten im Vergleich zu den Pessimisten nicht mit einer höheren Unterstützungsbereitschaft einher. Der Zusammenhang zwischen Optimismus und Gesundheit wird möglicherweise nicht nur über die vom sozialen Umfeld tatsächlich zur Verfügung gestellte Unterstützung, sondern auch durch den Ausdruck sozialer Akzeptanz vermittelt.


Different approval, but equal willingness to provide support: Social responses to optimists, pessimists, and realists from a provider’s perspective

Abstract. It has been presumed that the beneficial health effects of optimism are mediated by social support provided by the social network. This study aims to examine the basic underlying assumption that optimists, pessimists, and realists elicit different social responses. Participants (N = 168) were asked to read transcripts of conversations in which optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic targets reported how they were dealing with a stressful situation. Afterwards they completed a questionnaire assessing (a) their evaluation of the target’s behavior and personality, (b) their attraction to the target, and (c) their willingness to provide the target with social support. Regarding the evaluation of behavior and personality as well as perceived interpersonal attraction, optimistic and realistic targets were viewed more favorably than pessimistic targets. However, the more positive evaluation of optimists and realists compared to pessimists was not accompanied by a greater willingness to provide them with social support. Thus, the relation between optimism and health may not merely be mediated by social support provided by the network, but also by the expression of social approval.

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