According to Seligman, optimists explain the causes of bad events as _____, whereas pessimists explain them as _____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Seligman's theory of explanatory styles suggests that optimists tend to explain the causes of bad events as external (not their fault), unstable (can change in the future), and specific (limited to one situation). On the other hand, pessimists tend to explain the causes of bad events as internal (their fault), stable (unlikely to change in the future), and global (affecting many areas of their life). The best choice is option B, which correctly identifies the differences in how optimists and pessimists explain bad events.

According to Seligman, Optimists Explain the Causes of Bad Events