Psychological Characteristics of the Manifestation of Optimism and Pessimism in Students

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the phenomena of optimism and pessimism, which represent diametrically opposed worldviews. Optimism and pessimism are considered as significant psychological constructs that have a close relationship with such phenomena as stress, distress, depression, achievement motivation and coping behavior, which has a significant impact on various spheres of an individual's life. Each personality has a certain degree of optimism and pessimism, which, being relatively stable personal characteristics, coexist in unity and are in constant interaction. The formation of these characteristics occurs in childhood and adolescence, and later they undergo transformation. The study showed that the psychological components of the worldview of optimistic and pessimistic students have significant substantive differences. These differences have an impact on purposefulness, emotional saturation of life and satisfaction with self-realization among representatives of these groups. The results of the study demonstrate gender differences in the tendency to optimism: among girls, the tendency to optimism is higher than this indicator among boys. There is only a slight difference in indicators depending on the year of study, and at senior courses the ratio of optimists and pessimists is equalized (51% and 49%, respectively).