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YoungEconomist · 05-13-2008, 03:16 AM

First of all, I feel like I need to justify this thread a bit (because I don't want to have it moved to another board). I am posting this in the Econ forum, because I honestly only care about past, present, and future Econ grad students answers to this question.

With that said, I'm interested in hearing what your style/strategy for school is? Would you consider yourself a Defensive Pessimist or a Strategic Optimist? Below are the definitions (which can be found here):

Defensive pessimism is a strategy used by anxious people to help them manage their anxiety so they can work productively. Defensive pessimists lower their expectations to help prepare themselves for the worst. Then, they mentally play through all the bad things that might happen. Though it sounds as if it might be depressing, defensive pessimism actually helps anxious people focus away from their emotions so that they can plan and act effectively.

Strategic optimism is typically used by people who aren't anxious. Individuals using this strategy set high expectations, and then actively avoid thinking much about what might happen.

Zmoney · 05-13-2008, 03:31 AM

Very Much so a Defensive Pessimist.

I apply it all the time to graduate school entry too! Can I get funding at a good Program will i be rejected outright from all my safety schools because they think i can get in higher. It drives my Parents and my Girlfriend crazy but i think it helps calm me so that I am almost always prepared.

asianeconomist · 05-13-2008, 04:01 AM

I guess I'm a paranoid pessimist.

Karina 07 · 05-13-2008, 04:48 AM

Optimism.... Well, I suppose both at times. Not at the same time, but there are situations which call for each. That being said, I would fit much more with the optimism category. If I say something will be bad, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy... so maybe always optimism, then. Maybe what I was first thinking was some pessimism was actually a moment of realism, then re-grouping and planning a way out. But I will tend to over-hype myself just because of all those studies that say that confident people do better (and I have found the same, myself, both in myself and others).

israelecon · 05-13-2008, 08:27 AM

definitely, the pessimist. i think sometimes i prefer to know for certain of a bad outcome than be uncertain about something that could be good or bad.
i guess i don't maximize my expected utility...

paradox3696 · 05-13-2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asianeconomist

I guess I'm a paranoid pessimist.

LOL. I am with you mate. Paranoid indeed!

TruDog · 05-13-2008, 01:11 PM

I'm really more of an unconstrained optimist. Yes, I'm at a school with a historically alarming failure rate on prelims and my first semester basically saw me hanging on for dear life. But the second semester has gone pretty well so far and I'm starting to catch up with many of my classmates with masters' degrees.

According to most of the older students here, very few people fail out who study hard for prelims all summer long. I'm willing to study 10-12 hours a day, six days a week from Memorial Day until late July to meet my goal of passing at least one of the two prelims. And if I don't pass prelims here, I'll still end up with a quite employable master's degree. I'll put in all the effort I can and let the prelim committee sort things out from there.

Pessimism just leads to a lot of sleepless nights and acts as a negative externality. Stay positive!

Golden Rule · 05-13-2008, 02:45 PM

I like this thread, and definitely think it's relevant to this board.

This is an overgeneralization, but I feel the strategic optimism is better for situations where you want to aim towards the high end of the distribution, while the defensive pessimism is better when you just need to surpass a bar at the low-middle part of the distribution. I have some kind of model in mind here, but I haven't quite sorted it out yet. It depends to some degree on what your goals are, how bad the bads are, how good the goods are, and the likely probability of each.

So, for example, when I was writing my second year paper last month, I needed to be a strategic optimist to get through it. In my field exams this month, I'm a lot less prepared in one than the other. One I just wanted to do well enough to pass, the other I want to near the top of the class. I took a defensive pessimist approach to the former last week, and this week I'm taking a strategic optimist approach to the latter. I'm not sure whether being a defensive pessimist last week was optimal.

israelecon · 05-13-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golden Rule

I like this thread, and definitely think it's relevant to this board.

This is an overgeneralization, but I feel the strategic optimism is better for situations where you want to aim towards the high end of the distribution, while the defensive pessimism is better when you just need to surpass a bar at the low-middle part of the distribution. I have some kind of model in mind here, but I haven't quite sorted it out yet. It depends to some degree on what your goals are, how bad the bads are, how good the goods are, and the likely probability of each.

So, for example, when I was writing my second year paper last month, I needed to be a strategic optimist to get through it. In my field exams this month, I'm a lot less prepared in one than the other. One I just wanted to do well enough to pass, the other I want to near the top of the class. I took a defensive pessimist approach to the former last week, and this week I'm taking a strategic optimist approach to the latter. I'm not sure whether being a defensive pessimist last week was optimal.

i think for us pessimists (at least most of us), its not exactly a conscious choice we make. its just the way we are.

asianeconomist · 05-13-2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by israelecon

i think for us pessimists (at least most of us), its not exactly a conscious choice we make. its just the way we are.

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

View Poll Results: What's Your Style/Strategy?
Defensive Pessimism	22	53.66%
Strategic Optimism	19	46.34%
Neither	0	0%
Unsure	0	0%
Voters: 41. You may not vote on this poll

05-13-2008, 03:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
YoungEconomist TestMagic Guru Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,282	What's Your Style? First of all, I feel like I need to justify this thread a bit (because I don't want to have it moved to another board). I am posting this in the Econ forum, because I honestly only care about past, present, and future Econ grad students answers to this question. With that said, I'm interested in hearing what your style/strategy for school is? Would you consider yourself a Defensive Pessimist or a Strategic Optimist? Below are the definitions (which can be found here): Defensive pessimism is a strategy used by anxious people to help them manage their anxiety so they can work productively. Defensive pessimists lower their expectations to help prepare themselves for the worst. Then, they mentally play through all the bad things that might happen. Though it sounds as if it might be depressing, defensive pessimism actually helps anxious people focus away from their emotions so that they can plan and act effectively. Strategic optimism is typically used by people who aren't anxious. Individuals using this strategy set high expectations, and then actively avoid thinking much about what might happen.

05-13-2008, 01:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
TruDog TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Midwest US Posts: 558	I'm really more of an unconstrained optimist. Yes, I'm at a school with a historically alarming failure rate on prelims and my first semester basically saw me hanging on for dear life. But the second semester has gone pretty well so far and I'm starting to catch up with many of my classmates with masters' degrees. According to most of the older students here, very few people fail out who study hard for prelims all summer long. I'm willing to study 10-12 hours a day, six days a week from Memorial Day until late July to meet my goal of passing at least one of the two prelims. And if I don't pass prelims here, I'll still end up with a quite employable master's degree. I'll put in all the effort I can and let the prelim committee sort things out from there. Pessimism just leads to a lot of sleepless nights and acts as a negative externality. Stay positive! _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ University of Wisconsin-Madison--2nd Year

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05-13-2008, 03:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
Zmoney Will regres for money Join Date: May 2008 Location: Titletown Posts: 32	Very Much so a Defensive Pessimist. I apply it all the time to graduate school entry too! Can I get funding at a good Program will i be rejected outright from all my safety schools because they think i can get in higher. It drives my Parents and my Girlfriend crazy but i think it helps calm me so that I am almost always prepared.

05-13-2008, 04:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
asianeconomist Loving the game Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 987	I guess I'm a paranoid pessimist.

05-13-2008, 04:48 AM	#4 (permalink)
Karina 07 TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 718	Optimism.... Well, I suppose both at times. Not at the same time, but there are situations which call for each. That being said, I would fit much more with the optimism category. If I say something will be bad, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy... so maybe always optimism, then. Maybe what I was first thinking was some pessimism was actually a moment of realism, then re-grouping and planning a way out. But I will tend to over-hype myself just because of all those studies that say that confident people do better (and I have found the same, myself, both in myself and others).

05-13-2008, 08:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
israelecon TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 537	definitely, the pessimist. i think sometimes i prefer to know for certain of a bad outcome than be uncertain about something that could be good or bad. i guess i don't maximize my expected utility...

05-13-2008, 02:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
Golden Rule Within my grasp! Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 465	I like this thread, and definitely think it's relevant to this board. This is an overgeneralization, but I feel the strategic optimism is better for situations where you want to aim towards the high end of the distribution, while the defensive pessimism is better when you just need to surpass a bar at the low-middle part of the distribution. I have some kind of model in mind here, but I haven't quite sorted it out yet. It depends to some degree on what your goals are, how bad the bads are, how good the goods are, and the likely probability of each. So, for example, when I was writing my second year paper last month, I needed to be a strategic optimist to get through it. In my field exams this month, I'm a lot less prepared in one than the other. One I just wanted to do well enough to pass, the other I want to near the top of the class. I took a defensive pessimist approach to the former last week, and this week I'm taking a strategic optimist approach to the latter. I'm not sure whether being a defensive pessimist last week was optimal.

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