Optimism Bias
Optimism bias is the tendency to believe good things are likelier to happen to you than to comparable other people, and bad things less likely — regardless of the actual rates.
Full definition of Optimism Bias →:: COMPARE ::
Optimism biasvsOptimism
The short answer
Optimism is a disposition — expecting things to go well. Optimism bias is an arithmetic error — rating your own odds better than comparable people's when they can't be. Cheerfulness isn't the bias; the impossible maths is.
Side by side
| Aspect | Optimism bias | Optimism |
|---|---|---|
| Is | A judgment error | A temperament |
| Measurable as | Impossible group maths | Self-report |
| About | Comparative risk | General outlook |
| Universal | Not quite (79%) | No |
What each one means
Optimism
The contrast above sets out how Optimism differs from Optimism Bias on the points that actually matter.