Define Seligman’s attributional style (explanatory style). According to Seligman, how many explanatory styles exist? Name and describe them. What type of explanatory style does Kiara display? What type of explanatory style does Malik display? Explain.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

According to Seligman, there are two explanatory styles: pessimistic and optimistic. Those who are pessimists attribute failure or negative experiences to internal, stable and global causes and are more likely to experience learned helplessness. Optimistic people are happier and more positive than pessimistic people. They attribute negative events to external, unstable and specific causes and are less likely to learn to be helpless.

According to research, people with a pessimistic explanatory style tend to report more physical complaints and tend to have an external health locus of control. Optimistic people are less likely to get sick and have an internal health locus of control. Research also indicates that optimists live longer, are more likely to recover from heart attacks, and have stronger immune systems than pessimists.
Explanatory style seems to be at least partially determined by life events and culture. Low self-esteem in particular is related to a pessimistic style.

Kiara’s style seems to be optimistic because she is so positive about the outcome of her illness. Malik seems to be more pessimistic because he is so negative about the outcome of Kiara’s illness. His negativity is also found in that he was so worried about their wedding. He was concerned about the caterer running out of food or champagne and about the possibility of it raining.