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Interactive Optimism: A Mediator and Moderator Model for Understanding Coping

Fowler, Stephanie Lane
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1271350625

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Arts, University of Toledo, Psychology.
Although the optimism literature diverges in its prediction of coping responses, recent research indicates that dispositional optimism and domain-specific optimism can interact to predict reactions to health threats. Specifically, individuals scoring high in dispositional optimism and low in domain-specific optimism appear to be the most responsive to health threats, whereas those scoring high in both forms of optimists appear to be the least responsive. Currently, only one study has examined the circumstances under which this interactive effect occurs. Furthermore, no study has examined the mechanisms underlying this interactive effect. For the present investigation, threat distance was examined as a moderating variable. Further, level of information processing was proposed as a mediating variable. In a Pilot Study (N = 64), participants read about a looming threat or a distant threat and completed two measures capturing level of information processing. Preliminary evidence supported the notion that dispositional and domain-specific optimism interact to predict level of information processing in the face of a looming (but not distant) threat. For the Main Study (N = 153), the procedure was nearly identical with the inclusion of three diverse measures of coping. Unlike the Pilot Study, level of information processing was not predicted by the optimism measures in the Main Study. The predicted three-way interaction was revealed on one of the coping measures (i.e., minimization). Specifically, both forms of optimism combine to predict the minimization of a threat when participants faced a looming threat. The other two coping measures did not yield this same effect. Future directions and limitations are discussed.
Andrew Geers, Dr. (Committee Chair)
John Jasper, Dr (Committee Member)
Kamala London, Dr (Committee Member)
75 p.
Psychology
Dispositional Optimism; Unrealistic Optimism; Coping; Expectations; Level of Construal

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Fowler, S. L. (2010). Interactive Optimism: A Mediator and Moderator Model for Understanding Coping [Master's thesis, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1271350625

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Fowler, Stephanie. Interactive Optimism: A Mediator and Moderator Model for Understanding Coping. 2010. University of Toledo, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1271350625.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Fowler, Stephanie. "Interactive Optimism: A Mediator and Moderator Model for Understanding Coping." Master's thesis, University of Toledo, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1271350625

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo1271350625
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© 2010, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.