Do You Or Someone You Know ….? When Does Prior Experience Mitigate Unrealistic Optimism and Pessimism in Risk Perception

Two studies (n = 152 and 385) examine self-other risk perceptions of an illness (cancer, and depression), as a function of experience, gender, and absolute levels of optimism/ pessimism. Results show that optimists demonstrate unrealistic optimism irrespective of experience, while pessimists are either realistic or unrealistically pessimistic as a function of their gender and experience. Pessimistic males without experience are realistic, but those who know a cancer/ depression victim are unrealistically pessimistic. On the other hand, pessimistic females without experience show unrealistic pessimism, while those who know a person who has cancer/ is depressed are realistic.

Citation:

Ying-Ching Lin and Priya Raghubir (2007) ,"Do You Or Someone You Know ….? When Does Prior Experience Mitigate Unrealistic Optimism and Pessimism in Risk Perception", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 34, eds. Gavan Fitzsimons and Vicki Morwitz, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 553-554.