Actually, we classified our healthy participants into optimistic trait and pessimistic trait by a one-dimensional rather than a two-dimensional Optimism-Pessimism Scale, which is the higher the total scores the more optimistic a person is and vice versa.
With her open face, broad eyes and generous mouth, there was perhaps always something a little melancholic about her – even pessimistic, a trait she readily admitted to – that found her playing more "mature" roles than her actual years.
The revised Life Orientation Test (LOT) is a scale measuring a pessimistic versus optimistic personality trait [ 20].
We are very pessimistic about modifying these personality traits".
Aspinwall and Tedeschi dismiss the possibility that the relation between positive states and health outcomes can be explained by the "detrimental effects of either pessimistic expectations or state or trait forms of negative affect, such as distress, depression, or anger" (in this issue).
People with a high level of the trait tend to be pessimistic, apprehensive, shy, easily fatigued and risk averse.
People with a high level of the trait tend to be pessimistic, apprehensive, shy, and easily fatigued, behaviorally inhibited and to avoid new and potentially aversive situations [ 3].
He suspects that the experiments are actually revealing that the dogs rank high on the personality trait usually called neuroticism, which can include having a pessimistic outlook and being worried.
Regardless of an optimistic or pessimistic view on the status of current scientific research, it is also argued that character traits, such as those involved in human morality, are highly complex, and therefore that moral bioenhancement is probably not feasible.
