Optimism could be considered as a state of mind that makes one believe that the best things will always happen to them. A common idiom used to illustrate optimism versus pessimism is a glass of water halfway, where the optimist is said to see the glass half full, while the pessimist sees the glass half empty . Optimists tend to view adversity as temporary; more specifically, they view the obstacle as limited to the situation and not generalized.1) How does the personality trait develop in humans? Where does it seem to come from? (20 pts)According to Alan Carr, author of Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness and Human Strengths, "the development of optimism may be determined by the mental health of the parents, the type of role model provided by the parents and the extent to which parents encourage and reward optimism” (Carr p. 84). It is not surprising to learn that children are more likely to become optimistic adults if they come from families in which neither parent suffered from depression, but in addition to obvious genetic factors, environmental conditions, like parental influence, can also shape a child's personality. Parents also play a major role in the development of their children's personality traits, as their children look up to them as role models. Children learn an unimaginable amount of traits and behaviors from their parents. They learn so much just by observing how their parents act or handle any type of situation. Children learn the optimistic style vicariously by attributing success to internal, stable factors. Optimism can also be instilled in children if their parents understand the failures they may encounter. It is important for a child to learn that not all failures are unacceptable... middle of paper ... everything will turn out the way you planned, but you can't let these incidents pile up and s lead into the continuum towards pessimism. Accepting this fact will allow you to be able to cope with these inevitable misfortunes while maintaining an optimistic outlook on life.Works CitedAnderson, C. Power, Optimism and Risk Taking. European Journal of Social Psychology, 511-536. Accessed May 6, 2014, from http://mors.haas.berkeley.edu/CAnderson%20Pilot%20Site/Pubs/Power,%20optimism,%20and%20risk-taking.pdfCarr, A. (2004). Positive psychology: the science of happiness and human strengths. : Brunner-Routledge. Friedman, H.S. (2012). Cognitive and social-cognitive aspects of personality. Personality: classical theories and modern research. Paul, Annie. “The uses and abuses of optimism and pessimism.” Psychology today: health, help, happiness + Find a therapist. Np, November 1, 2011. Web. May 06 2014