Optimism Research In Turkey; Draft Curriculum Suggestion In The Context Of A Positive Psychology Based Search

Abstract

This study aims to examine the concept of optimism in the articles published in Turkey, to identify trends and gaps in the existing literature and to provide solutions for them. In this context, examining the articles prepared on the findings related to optimism in Turkey and aimed to set out a holistic picture of the subject is synthesized. The study was prepared according to the meta-synthesis method, one of the qualitative research designs. Meta-synthesis is a research method that is used to draw a holistic conclusion from the results of the studies and try to bring a theoretical perspective by systematically combining the results and making generalizations and interpretative transformations (Polat & Ay, 2016). The sample of the study consists of 17 articles scanned in Google Scholar and www.Dergipark.gov.tr database. As a result of the study, the literature shows that there is a need for model-based studies on optimism. It reveals that the relationship between optimism and pessimism should be revealed in cognitive and behavioral dimensions. It has also been observed in the literature that there is uncertainty about whether optimism is an expectation for the future or an attitude independent of time. A similar situation can be said to be present in treating optimism as an expectation. Although optimism is regarded as a concept that can be learned in the literature, it has been observed that there are not enough studies in this direction and the educational dimension of the concept is not reflected in the articles. Finally, in this study, it is aimed to contribute to the literature by giving the basic outline of a curriculum on optimism.

Keywords

• optimism
• positive psychology
• meta-synthesis
• training programs