Reflection and distraction: Defensive pessimism, strategic optimism, and performance

This research concerns the interaction between performance strategies and imagery conditions. Defensive pessimists (DPs, who set low expectations, feel anxious, and rehearse possible outcomes) and strategic optimists (OPTs, who set high expectations, feel calm, and avoid reflecting) were randomly assigned to three conditions: a coping imagery condition (imagining correcting mistakes), a mastery imagery condition (imagining a flawless performance), or a relaxation condition (relaxation imagery). DPs performed better in the coping imagery condition, which was similar to their typical strategy, than in the relaxation condition, which was hypothesized to interfere with their performance. The opposite was true for OPTs. Both groups performed worst in the mastery imagery condition. Discussion highlights the importance of both reflective process and thought content and the costs and benefits of each strategy.