Skip to main content
Original Article

Measuring Dispositional Optimism in Large-Scale Studies

Psychometric Evidence for German, Spanish, and Italian Versions of the Scale Optimism-Pessimism-2 (SOP2)

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000297

Abstract. In different fields of the behavioral sciences, a growing demand for brief measures of psychological constructs can be observed. The current research presents new evidence on the reliability and validity of a recently developed ultra-short measure of the optimism construct sensu Scheier and Carver (1985), the German version of the Scale Optimism-Pessimism-2 (SOP2) as well as first evidence on Spanish and Italian adaptations. Reliability estimates indicate good reliability. Correlations with criteria from the nomological net of the construct are as expected. Equivalence of SOP2 factors across language versions is supported. Due to its highly efficient, yet accurate and valid measurement of the construct, the SOP2 is strongly recommended for assessment settings with severe monetary/time constraints, for example, large-scale surveys. Due to the factor equivalence, the SOP2 is also a valuable measure for cross-cultural studies.

References

  • Beierlein, C., Kovaleva, A., Kemper, C. J. & Rammstedt, B. (2014). Eine Single-Item-Skala zur Erfassung von Risikobereitschaft: Die Kurzskala Risikobereitschaft-1 (R-1), [A single item scale for the measurement of risk proneness: The short scale Risk Proneness-1 (R-1)] (GESIS Working Papers 2014|34) Köln: GESIS. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Byrnes, J. P., Miller, D. C. & Schafer, W. D. (1999). Gender differences in risk taking: A metaanalysis. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 367–383. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Carver, C. S. & Scheier, M. F. (2014). Dispositional optimism. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18, 293–299. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F. & Segerstrom, S. C. (2010). Optimism. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 879–889. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Felton, J., Gibson, B. & Sanbonmatsu, D. M. (2003). Preference for risk in investing as a function of trait optimism and gender. The Journal of Behavioral Finance, 4, 33–40. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Guarnera, S. & Williams, R. L. (1987). Optimism and locus of control for health and affiliation among elderly adults. Journal of Gerontology, 42, 594–595. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Karademas, E. C. (2006). Self-efficacy, social support and well-being: The mediating role of optimism. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1281–1290. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Kemper, C. J., Beierlein, C., Kovaleva, A. & Rammstedt, B. (2013). Entwicklung und Validierung einer ultrakurzen Operationalisierung des Konstrukts Optimismus-Pessimismus [Development and validation of an ultrashort measure for the construct of optimism-pessimism – The Scale Optimism-Pessimism-2 (SOP2)]. Diagnostica, 59, 119–129. First citation in articleLinkGoogle Scholar

  • Kemper, C. J., Ziegler, M., Krumm, S., Heene, M. & Bühner, M. (2015). Testkonstruktion [Test contruction]. In G. StemmlerJ. Margraf-StiksrudEds., Lehrbuch Diagnostik (pp. 157–222). Hans Huber: Bern. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Kostka, T. & Jachimowicz, V. (2010). Relationship of quality of life to dispositional optimism, health locus of control and self-efficacy in older subjects living in different environments. Quality of Life Research, 19, 351–361. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Kovaleva, A. (2012). The IE-4.: Construction and validation of a short scale for the assessment of locus of control. (Doctoral Dissertation). GESIS, Schriftenreihe 9, Cologne. Retrieved from www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/37119. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Lorenzo-Seva, U. & ten Berge, J. M. F. (2006). Tucker’s congruence coefficient as a meaningful index of factor similarity. Methodology, 2, 57–64. First citation in articleLinkGoogle Scholar

  • McDonald, R. P. (1999). Test theory: A unified treatment. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Nes, L. S., Carlson, C. R., Crofford, L. J., de Leeuw, R. & Segerstrom, S. C. (2011). Individual differences and self-regulatory fatigue: Optimism, conscientiousness, and self-consciousness. Personality and Individual Differences, 50, 475–480. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Nes, L. S. & Segerstrom, S. C. (2006). Dispositional optimism and coping: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10, 235–251. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Rammstedt, B., Kemper, C. J. & Schupp, J. (2013). Standardisierte Kurzskalen zur Erfassung psychologischer Merkmale in Umfragen [Short Scales for the Assessment of Psychological Constructs in Surveys]. Methoden, Daten, Analysen (mda), 7, 145–152. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Scheier, M. F. & Carver, C. S. (1985). Optimism, coping, and health: Assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies. Health Psychology, 4, 219–247. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S. & Bridges, M. W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 1063–1078. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Schwarzer, R., Bäßler, J., Kwiatek, P., Schröder, K. & Zhang, J. X. (1997). The assessment of optimistic self-beliefs: Comparison of the German, Spanish, and Chinese Versions of the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Applied Psychology, 46, 69–88. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Schwarzer, R. & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. In J. WeinmanS. WrightM. JohnstonEds., Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs (pp. 35–37). Windsor, Canada: NFER-NELSON. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Tucker, L. R. (1951). A method for synthesis of factor analysis studies. In Personnel Research Section Report No. 984. Washington, DC: Department of the Army. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Williamson, J. M., Pemberton, A. E. & Lounsbury, J. W. (2005). An investigation of career and job satisfaction in relation to personality traits of information professionals. The Library, 75, 122–141. First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Ziegler, M., Kemper, C. J. & Lenzner, T. (2015). The issue of fuzzy concepts in test construction and possible remedies. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 31, 1–4. First citation in articleLinkGoogle Scholar