Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Explanatory style is a psychological attribute that indicates how people explain to themselves why they experience a particular event, either positive or negative.
This is the theory about how people make causal explanations. It's like being a detective for your own behavior and experiences, trying to figure out why things happened.
This is an emotional attitude that hopes for the best possible outcome in every situation. It's like always seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty.
Pessimism: This is an inclination to expect the worst possible outcome. It's like constantly expecting it to rain even when there are no clouds in sight.