What's Your Style?

[Nalfien]

Originally Posted by asianeconomist

Pessimism is a much safer choice. You are either proven correct or pleasantly surprised by any outcome.

Amen!

And as such, I'm going to fail my Macro comp . I so hope I'm pleasantly surprised.

Actually I'm so used to being a defensive pessimist that it's hard to function otherwise. I'm more nervous about my Micro comp because I think I'm going to pass than I am about my Macro comp that I think I'm going to fail.

9 more days until the first year is over, 9 more days...

[YoungEconomist]

In regards to which style/strategy is "better," I think it depends on the individual.

On the website I found the definitions on it says:

Both strategic optimists and defensive pessimists typically do quite well, but both groups are also vulnerable to situations that don't accommodate their strategies. My experimental research shows that if defensive pessimists try to raise their expectations, or avoid playing through a worst-case analysis, their anxiety increases and their performance suffers. If strategic optimists set lower expectations or play through possible outcomes, their anxiety increases and their performance decreases.

I find this kind of interesting because it seems like an economic/rational explanation, that is, individuals tend to choose the strategy that's optimal for them.