Comparative optimism: a framework for understanding positive sexual minority experience

Abstract

Comparative optimism is the belief that negative events are more likely to happen to others and positive events are more likely to happen to the self. This research considers the impact of sexual orientation on comparative optimism, specifically in relation to positive life events. Participants were 392 adult women and men (18–63 years old) who self-identified as either heterosexual (n = 332) or a sexual minority (n = 60). Participants rated 10 general positive event statements and 10 minority salient positive event statements in terms of how likely they would happen to themselves in comparison to two different comparison targets: a member of the ‘general population’ and an individual who is ‘similar to self’. For general positive event statements, sexual minority and heterosexual participants displayed similar levels of comparative optimism. This was true for both comparison targets. For minority salient positive events, sexual minorities were more optimistic than heterosexual participants when making comparisons to a member of the general population but not when comparing to someone ‘similar to self’. These findings suggest that in order to fully and accurately interpret the comparative optimism literature, participant identity as well as who participants are comparing themselves to (based on either instructions or spontaneous comparisons) needs to be considered. Ultimately, these findings suggest that comparative optimism may provide a useful framework for further understanding the positive minority experience.

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