Self-Esteem Test and Optimism-Pessimism Tests & Software
Definition of Self-Esteem: Self-esteem can be defined as a generalized positive-negative
attitude toward oneself; that is, how positively or negatively,
in general, an individual thinks and feels about himself.
Personality scales of self-esteem (e.g., Overholser, 1993) often
include the word "confidence" in positively worded items (e.g.,
feeling confident about one's own mental and physical abilities
or about being accepted, liked, and admired by others) and words
relating to positive-negative affect (e.g., feeling pleased or
satisfied with one's appearance or one's abilities versus feeling
ashamed, worried, anxious, or depressed).
Definition of Optimism-Pessimism: Optimism-pessimism refers to an emotional and cognitive
predisposition to feel and think that the good things in life
outweigh the bad. A related aspect of optimism-pessimism is a
generalized emotional and cognitive predisposition or inclination
to think of, and react emotionally to, others, events, and
situations in positive and favorable ways and generally to expect
future outcomes to be positive, beneficial, and good instead of
negative, harmful, and bad. Thus, optimists are generally
inclined to believe that good, rather than bad, things are
currently happening and will continue to happen to them. In
contrast, pessimists are generally inclined to regard and
experience present and future events in a negative light; that
is, to feel and think that bad elements outweigh the good and
that future outcomes are likely to be negative and bad.
Software for administering, scoring, and interpreting the Self-Esteem and Optimism-Pessimism Scales is available. It is a console (non-graphic) program and runs on IBM-compatible machines. The software may be useful even if you plan on group administering the paper and pencil version of the scales given in the test manual. In that case, you can use the software to input data from each participant and have the software compute total scores and z-scores for all participants.
The software provides (a) total score, equivalent z-score, equivalent percentile score, and interpretation of these scores for each person tested and (b) a database of scores for all individuals tested. Additionally, the software includes a feature for exporting a printable text file (.txt format) of the data.
The software is easy to use and is password protected so that the Administrator can control access to the database of results. In this way, individuals being tested cannot have access to the results, unless the
Administrator chooses to report such results to them.
Use the contact button below to request a price quote for the software that can be used to administer, score, and interpret these two scales.
The 11-item Mehrabian Self-Esteem (MSE) and 8-item Mehrabian
Optimism-Pessimism (MOP) scales are usually administered
together, because of evidence reviewed and provided by Mehrabian
(1988) showing that the two scales are strongly related, though
slightly distinct, aspects of personality.
Sample Items
- Others seek my friendship.
- My future looks gloomy.
Test Features
- Administration: the two tests do not require a tester to be present; they can be used with individuals or groups
- Test format: questionnaires, 11 and 8 items, respectively
- Appropriate population: English fluency, ages 14 and older
- Time required for administration: approximately 5 minutes
- Scoring: hand-scored version yields two separate total-scale scores for Self-Esteem and Optimism-Pessimism; scoring and interpretation are automated with the software version
- Manual: contains complete scales, scoring directions, norms, reliability and validity data
- Background literature: manual references findings relating self-esteem and optimism-pessimism to other personality scales
Validity of the Self-Esteem Scale: Validity data on the Mehrabian Self-Esteem Scale (MSE)
reported in the manual and in Mehrabian(2000) show that it correlates:
- positively with optimism-pessimism
- negatively with trait anxiety and with depression
- negatively with emotional thinking (or lack of differentiation between thoughts and feelings)
- positively with achievement and patience, and negatively with procrastination
- positively with affiliation, emotional empathy, and social skills
- positively with self-actualization
- positively with adaptiveness or ability to cope successfully with stressors
- positively with physical attractiveness
Validity of the Optimism-Pessimism Scale: Validity data on the Mehrabian Optimism-Pessimism Scale (MOP) reported in the manual and in Mehrabian (2000) show that it correlates:
- positively with self-esteem
- negatively with trait anxiety and with depression
- negatively with emotional thinking (or lack of differentiation between thoughts and feelings)
- positively with achievement and patience, and negatively with procrastination
- positively with affiliation, emotional empathy, and social skills
- positively with self-actualization
- positively with adaptiveness or ability to cope successfully with stressors
- positively with integrity
Mehrabian, A. (1998). Manual for the Self-Esteem and
Optimism-Pessimism Scales. (Available from Albert Mehrabian,
1130 Alta Mesa Road, Monterey, CA, USA 93940).
Mehrabian, A. (2000). Beyond IQ: Broad-based measurement of individual
success potential or "emotional intelligence." Genetic, Social, and
General Psychology Monographs, 126,133-239.