In this chapter, the authors talk about perceptions and opinion formation. On page 236 they explain unrealistic optimism as when "individuals see themselves as being somehow different from other in terms of the probability of good or bad things happening to them".
For example, "people tend to think they are invulnerable, and expect others to be victims or misfortune, not themselves".
Explain why you think this happens, and give an example of a time where you have perceived the risk of something happening to you as greater or smaller than of the same thing happening to others.
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As the text states, young people especially tend to see themselves as invulnerable, and I believe this view point has a significant effect on the unrealistic optimism that many college students have. As a young person, the likelihood of having already faced a major life issue is less, and the world still seems to be full of endless possibilities. While hope is valuable, it can cloud a person's perception of how the world actually is.
ReplyDeleteI have always perceived the risk of getting into a compromising or unsafe situation as less likely. I view myself as a good, responsible citizen, which leads me to believe that my chances are slimmer. In the text, the authors mention how representation of an issue in the media can affect our perceptions, and I think their point is valid. I see in the media that girls who are wild and can't handle themselves are the ones that get into trouble. Because I view myself as under control and responsible, I believe my chances of finding myself in an unsafe situation are less likely.
I think that people tend to have unrealistic optimism because they might perceive themselves to be more cautious than those around them, like in the instance of a car accident. Someone might think that they have never been in a car accident before because they are a much more cautious driver than everyone else is. They may think that the reason everyone else has been in a car accident or is more likely to be in a car accident is that they are not as careful about what they are doing on the road.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it was breaking a bone. I never thought that I would break a bone because I drank a lot of milk growing up. We are taught that milk contains calcium, which helps build strong bones, so when I did break a bone; it was a big shock for me.
Neil Weinstein said that “people expect others to be the victims of misfortune, not themselves.” I agree with this statement because you always hear people say on the news “I didn’t think it could happen to me.”
ReplyDeleteI was reading an article about when people come back from war this belief that nothing can happen to them is stronger. I had a friend that came back from Iraq and got two DWIs in a two month span. I asked him how he could let something like that happen and his exact words were “when you come back from war you feel invincible.” He is a prime example of what the book describes as unrealistic optimism.
I strongly agree that unrealistic optimism exists, but I definitely think it exists in children more than adults. I believe this because as a child, at least when I was a child, I didn't know many people who were in car accidents or had cancer, using the 2 examples from the book. I think this happens because parents try to hide misfortunes from their children thinking that they are protecting them from the real world.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, in adults I think this happens because we like to think we have control over our own lives. The feeling of not being able to control what will or will not happen to ourselves make us uneasy. For example, I believe that I have a great chance of getting a job after graduation in May. Although I realize the job market is tight right now with the economic situation, I beieve that I have a greater chance then others because I personally know how much work I've put into my studies, extracurriculars, and volunteer work. Even though there is probably other students just as dedicated I feel like I deserve the positive event and will receive it.
The reason that “individuals see themselves as being somehow different from others in terms of the probability of good or bad things happening to them” is that individuals attempt to protect themselves from extreme emotions. It is much easier for a person to live not worrying about catastrophic events. There is no mental or physical preparation involved when a person is just living normally. Emotions are also protected when a person does not live their life each day waiting to win the lottery.
ReplyDeleteThe book Public Opinion states that “Individual’s beliefs about their own degree of risk from life’s hazards form the personal level of judgment.” (Glyn et. al, 2004, p. 236) What the book is talking about is that people judge themselves according to their own personal everyday risks. Most people feel that it is much easier to live each day believing that extreme emotions or physical occurrences will not happen to them.
When dealing with catastrophic events, some people may feel better about themselves if the event never happens to them. It is a way of measuring their own personal status. For example, a person in Minnesota may feel safer because he or she will never experience a hurricane. What the person fails to realize is that there is also other catastrophic possibilities, such as tornadoes and blizzards, which occur more frequently in the Midwest.
I do believe that young people in general are optimistic about their futures because our lives are merely just beginning. Right now our bodies and minds are in amazing shape, so it’s hard to picture events that could drastically change our lives. I thought the survey of college students was interesting in our Public Opinion book (pg 237). The results clearly show that most college students remain optimistic about their future. If the questions in the survey would have been presented to me, I have a feeling my results would have been almost exactly the same because I tend to have a positive outlook on my future.
ReplyDeleteI’m actually going to use one of the questions listed on their survey for my example. I don’t see myself dropping out of college. I’m currently a junior, almost finished with one of my majors, and I’ve made great friends. I would feel like I’m cheating myself if I gave up this close to the end. SO, I would have to say I remain pretty optimistic about my future…just like the book predicts.
According to the text, Tyler and Cook notes that, "there is a major assumption to consider when investigating impersonal impasct and unrealistic optimism: that people can and do distinguish between two possible levels of judgment-personal and societal".
ReplyDeleteI think people are usually optimistic when the issue does not affect or concern them because they "expect others to be victims or misfortune, not themselves".
When dealing with personal issue (i.e emotions), my brother tends to be more optimistic than I do.
When we were in NYC this last summer our friend took the room key and left, I was in emotion shock and my brother just said no worries money can fix things. The reason why I thought he was so optimisitic was because the rooms were registered under my name instead of his, so I was more worried about myself then he was.
According to the text, young people tend to see themselves as indestructible, and I think this world view has a significant impact on unrealistic optimism that students have the impression of. With young adults the likelihood of having faced a serious life issue is lower, but even though most problems come with age some still affects young people. It seems that no one would argue that a person should have hope, but when a person is relying solely on hope then that is the problem because hope may disguise a bad situation as attainable when it’s really not.
ReplyDeleteI have put myself in many compromising situations because as a young kid I thought nothing bad would happen. Climbing trees, bridge jumping and catching snapping turtle seemed to be activities I wouldn’t second guess. In the book it talks about a media issues affect our perceptions by the presentation they the media give. The media can state that the terrorism warning is at a red rating and people might not get on a plane because the likelihood of a problem is higher if it’s important enough to be in the media. Even though I did lots of reckless things in my younger years I always had in my head that nothing would happen because I can weigh the risks of my actions. In the media there is a show Jackass and these people habitually get into trouble and hurt themselves and my take is if I think about my consequences I will control myself from such acts of idiocy.
I agree with statements above that long people, especially very long boys see themselves as invisible. I think a lot of this comes from not knowing what can happen when certain things are done. After many years of watching the new and seeing some of the horrible/unbelievable things that happen to people, I have a tendency to hold myself back. Many kids my age now have the mind set that you only live once, so why not live for the moment. As you get older you begin to realize yes I do only live once and I want it to be as long as it can be so I'm not going to chance anything.
ReplyDeleteI believe everyone in the world doesn't think that horrible things can't happen to them unless the experience them first hand. I think a lot of that is because when we watch movies or TV it makes things seem unrealistic or fiction. That is what we begin to think in our head. I do have the same thought it could never happen to me, I think I use that to settle myself down in situations where something could. Like riding in a car with a student you don't know very well to a job location. You think how easy it would be for them to pull of the vehicle be a crazy person and just leave you there. Or when you are on a airplane and all you see on the news is about how they crash. To keep myself from hyperventilating on the plane, I have to put the statistics in my head, and have the thought it could never happen to keep me settled down. I think that is how a lot of people are so they can go on living life without to much worry.
In the book they say "you will tend to believe that negative events are less likely to happen to you than to others." I believe this is true because we as humans view ourselves in a better light than those around us. It goes back to the notion of finding bigger differences between in the in-group and out-group than within our own group.
ReplyDeleteFor example, when I was running for national office of FCCLA I perceived that I would do better than the others and win. While the other people did a great job on their speeches, I still felt that I was somehow better qualified for the position. This goes back to what Neil Weinstein says in the book, "people expecct others to be victims of misfortune, not themselves." The misfortune in this case would be loosing.
I think that romantic relationships are a great example of this, especially negative ones. There is a show on TV called the "Tool Academy" where girlfriends bring their "tool" boyfriends to go through relationship therapy. My roommates and I usually watch this show together and talk about how we wouldn't let that happen to us. Even though each of us (myself included) have gone through a bad relationship at one time or another. People like to think they have better judgment or more intelligent than others and therefore wouldn't allow themselves to put so much faith into someone that isn't respectful or appreciative of that relationship, especially in the case of multiple break ups.
ReplyDeleteHowever when thinking about it, I'm sure that a majority of people have gone through bad relationships, many even verbally or physically abusive. But, we don't want to admit that they have had such a lapse in judgement, or exposed themselves to such an extreme vulnerability.
I was a little surprised by unrealistic optimisim because I generally would perceive negative events happening to me moreso than anyone else whereas as the text states, "...you will tend to believe negative events are less likely to happen to you than to others..." Nevertheless, I believe that this unrealistic optimism occurs in part because of our stereotypes of other people.
ReplyDeleteThe stereotypes we form for people may have an impact on this unrealistic optimism because we may perceive that a person of a different stereotype we have might be more likely to be "a victim of misfortune," than you are. For example, we may think that people living in larger metropolitan areas may be more likely to get robbed than we are because we live in a somewhat smaller city.
An example that I can think of where I have experienced unrealistic optimism may be since I work at a tanning salon I see many people coming tanning everyday and some people are literally tanning everyday. I perceive that these people that tan everyday are more likely to develop skin cancer. However, just because I don't tan nearly as much as these people that tan everyday do, I still have exposed my skin to sun and tanning in the past, therefore I still have that chance to develop skin cancer as well possibly.