Cited by 7,814Optimism, Hope, and Well-beingPsychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionPersonality Traits and Psychology

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Illusion and well‐being: A social psychological perspective on mental health

Taylor, Shelley E., Brown, Jonathon D.·1988·Psychological Bulletin

DOI 10.1037/0033-2909.103.2.193

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Abstract

Many prominent theorists have argued that accurate perceptions of the self, the world, and the future are essential for mental health. Yet considerable research evidence suggests that overly positive selfevaluations, exaggerated perceptions of control or mastery, and unrealistic optimism are characteristic of normal human thought. Moreover, these illusions appear to promote other criteria of mental health, including the ability to care about others, the ability to be happy or contented, and the ability to engage in productive and creative work. These strategies may succeed, in large part, because both the social world and cognitive-processing mechanisms impose filters on incoming information that distort it in a positive direction; negative information may be isolated and represented in as unthreatening a manner as possible. These positive illusions may be especially useful when an individual receives negative feedback or is otherwise threatened and may be especially adaptive under these circumstances. Decades of psychological wisdom have established contact with reality as a hallmark of mental health. In this view, the wcU-adjusted person is thought to engage in accurate reality testing, whereas the individual whose vision is clouded by illusion is regarded as vulnerable to, if not already a victim of, mental illness. Despite its plausibility, this viewpoint is increasingly difficult to maintain (cf. Lazarus, 1983). A substantial amount of research testifies to the prevalence of illusion in normal human

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Authors: Taylor, S. E., & Brown, J. D.
ORCID: Brown, Jonathon D.
Venue: Psychological Bulletin
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 1988
Volume: 103
Issue: 2
Pages: 193-210
ISSN: 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
1939-1455
DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.103.2.193
OpenAlex: W2171975196
Semantic Scholar: 3331a6d8daa55975dfab8e35f91b42157eb1a2e8
Cited by: 7,814
References: 285
Citations by year: 2026: 129 · 2025: 142 · 2024: 179 · 2023: 212 · 2022: 226 · 2021: 244 · 2020: 222 · 2019: 260 · 2018: 249 · 2017: 265 · 2016: 273 · 2015: 306 · 2014: 304 · 2013: 276 · 2012: 284
FWCI: 141.89
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institute of Mental Health (MH 00311)
National Cancer Institute (CA-36409)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Keywords: positive illusions, mental health, well-being, self-perception, optimism, perceived control, reality testing, cognitive distortions
MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological, Attitude to Health, Humans, Illusions, Reality Testing, Self Concept

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Illusion and well‐being: A social psychological perspective on mental health

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