Optimism and pessimism in social context: An interpersonal perspective on resilience and risk

• Dispositional optimism predicts health and well-being.
• Interpersonal processes may contribute to these associations.
• The interpersonal perspective provides a useful integrative framework.
• Optimism is associated with a warm and dominant interpersonal style.
• Optimism is associated with greater social support and marital quality.

Using the interpersonal perspective, we examined social correlates of dispositional optimism. In Study 1, optimism and pessimism were associated with warm-dominant and hostile-submissive interpersonal styles, respectively, across four samples, and had expected associations with social support and interpersonal stressors. In 300 married couples, Study 2 replicated these findings regarding interpersonal styles, using self-reports and spouse ratings. Optimism–pessimism also had significant actor and partner associations with marital quality. In Study 3 (120 couples), husbands’ and wives’ optimism predicted increases in their own marital adjustment over time, and husbands’ optimism predicted increases in wives’ marital adjustment. Thus, the interpersonal perspective is a useful integrative framework for examining social processes that could contribute to associations of optimism–pessimism with physical health and emotional adjustment.