“Good Vibrations”: The Social Networks of Optimists and Alter-Optimists

摘要

This study empirically tested if the personality trait of optimism and the interpersonal capability to generate optimism in one’s network nodes (i.e., alter-optimism) influences the social relationship patterns. The results provide evidence that optimism trait is independent from the way social networks of personal-issue sharing, advice-seeking, problem-solving, and innovation, are structured. In contrary, the alter-optimism capability does provide a good explanation of one’s social network position. Implications of these findings are discussed at the end.