Like those who have come before, we find ourselves captive to a routine schedule of fear. In particular as stewards of the twenty-first century, we are keenly familiar with the cadence, dismissal, and subsequent anticipation of contemporary social unrest. Be it through the sensationalism of mass homicide; polarization of social policy; or the attribution of the world’s evils to, and thus the continued marginalization of, undesirable “Others”. Subsequently, one could reason that this degree of exposure to such issues conditions individuals to into accepting their social reality as intrinsically negative. Such may be posited through cultivation theory (Dolliver et al., 2018; Gruman et al., 2017), that is, the salience of these events through mass media leads to the public to suspect their lives as dangerous (Dolliver et al., 2018). Interestingly, however, there is reason to also suspect that this fear ultimately affects how people may predict future outcomes within their life, particularly aligning with a pessimistic lens (Steenvoorden & van der Meer, 2017).
Pessimism, which may be broadly defined as the expectation of negative future outcomes, has been associated with various detrimental effects, including a decline in physical and psychological health, academic performance, and relationship satisfaction (Gruman et al., 2017; Scheier et al., 2021). Additionally, like optimism, research has highlighted the potential of this form of negative outcome expectancy to be self-fulfilling, in that individuals are likely to behave in such a manner as to confirm their negative cognitions (Gruman et al., 2017). That said, how would this concept line up with fear, especially concerning that of larger, societal-level issues and events? Importantly, can pessimism even be generalized at such a level?
Despite the scarcity of literature on the subject, scholars have noted the occurrence of “societal pessimism”, primarily as a condition of a larger consensus and public opinion. (Steenvoorden & van der Meer, 2017). Put simply, the wider attribution of pessimism is the product of how those within (a) society perceive that society as a whole. Likewise, the state of larger social trust is argued to play a significant role in the presence of societal pessimism, particular regarding social institutions. For example, ambivalence and distrust of those in power may lead people to, in turn, formulate negative expectations about policy measures and the larger political future of a given country. It may even lead to a decline in political engagement (e.g., declines in voter turnout, decreases in public protests), thus making unlikely any chance of redress (Steenvoorden & van der Meer, 2017).
Is this a phenomenon that occurs without the potential for positive outcomes or measured steps forward? I would submit not. Just as defensive pessimism can be used to help constructively shape one’s perception of future events (essentially motivating preferable outcomes), so too may it be amplified at the societal level. Perhaps this idea of “societal defensive/constructive pessimism” could be used to evaluate both historical and contemporary issues of social distrust and unease. It certainly warrants further empirical consideration.
References:
Dolliver, M. J., Kenney, J. L., Reid, L. W., & Prohaska, A. (2018). Examining the relationship between media consumption, fear of crime, and support for controversial criminal justice policies using a nationally representative sample. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 34(4), 399-420.
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Scheier, M. F., Swanson, J. D., Barlow, M. A., Greenhouse, J. B., Wrosch, C., & Tindle, H. A. (2021). Optimism versus pessimism as predictors of physical health: A comprehensive reanalysis of dispositional optimism research. American Psychologist, 76(3), 529-548.
Steenvoorden, E. H., & van der Meer, T. W. (2017). Continent of pessimism or continent of realism? A multilevel study into the impact of macro-economic outcomes and political institutions on societal pessimism, European Union 2006-2012. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 58(3), 192-214.