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Preferred term

optimistic bias  

Definition

  • Optimistic bias (also called unrealistic optimism) refers to the tendency for people to think that they are less likely to experience negative life events and more likely to experience positive life events than similar others. For example, many people report that their chances of contracting AIDS, getting divorced, and attempting suicide in the future are smaller than those of their peers. [Source: Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication; Optimistic Bias]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/optimistic_bias

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