Positive and Negative Expectancy Questionnaire for the Assessment of Personal
Optimism and Social Optimism /C0Extended (POSO-E)
(Schweizer & Koch, 2000).
Variable
Schweizer and Koch (2000) relied on a slightly modified version of Scheier and Carver’s (1985) definition of
optimism as a personality trait construct characterized by positive expectations. They further suggested that
optimism is both personal and socially-oriented.
Description
The POSO-E consists of 10 statements to which respondents indicate their degree of agreement. Item response-
format is on a four-point scale labeled 1 ‘incorrect,’ 2 ‘partly correct,’ 3 ‘almost correct,’ and 4 ‘completely correct,’
with total scores ranging from 10 to 40 (Schweizer & Koch, 2000).
Sample
The POSO-E was validated with an undefined sample ( N5348). No significant differences in optimism
emerged between males ( M528.47, SD54.08) and females ( M529.21, SD54.27) (overall M528.92, SD54.20)
(Schweizer & Koch, 2000).
Reliability
Internal Consistency
Cronbach alpha coefficients reported were .78 for the personal optimism subscale, .86 for the social optimism
subscale, and .87 for the self-efficacy subscale (Schweizer & Koch, 2000).
Test/C0Retest
No test /C0retest reliability evidence is currently available for the POSO-E.
Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
All POSO-E optimism subscales correlate positively with life satisfaction ( rs5.28 to .75) and negatively with
impulsiveness ( rs52.26 to 2.42), somatic complaints ( rs52.19 to 2.48), emotionality ( rs52.25 to 2.50),
depression ( rs52.26 to2.56), state anxiety ( rs52.31 to2.53), and neuroticism ( rs52.26 to2.63) (Schweizer &
Koch, 2000).
Divergent/Discriminant
None of the POSO-E optimism subscales correlate with aggressiveness ( rs52.05 to2.16), health concerns
(rs52.02 to2.09), or frankness ( rs52.07 to2.11) (Schweizer & Koch, 2000).
Construct/Factor Analytic
No factor analytic evidence is currently available for the POSO-E.
Criterion/Predictive
No criterion/predictive validity evidence is currently available for the POSO-E.
Location
Schweizer K. & Koch W. (2001). The assessment of components of optimism by POSO-E. Personality and
Individual Differences, 31 , 563/C0574.
Results and Comments
In addition to strong reliability and validity, the POSO-E is a valuable measure of three subdomains of opti-
mism. As its authors note, the POSO-E assesses feelings of personal optimism (i.e., expectations that personal
affairs will go well), feelings of social optimism (i.e., expectations that social situations will go well), and66 3. MEASURES OF HOPE AND OPTIMISM
II. EMOTIONAL DISPOSITIONS