ABSTRACT
One.of.the.prevailing.themes.in.this.volume.is.that.people’s.mental.simulations.regarding.future. events.are.associated.with.a.fascinating.and.complex.array.of.biological,.neurological,.psychological,.and.social.processes..How.people.think.about.the.future.holds.important.consequences.for.decision.making,.productivity,.and.mental.and.physical.health..To.what.extent.does.it.matter.whether. these.views.of.the.future.are.tinged.with.optimism?.If.optimism.is.an.important.facet.of.how.people. think.about.the.future,.it.is.essential.to.determine.how.we.should.best.define.optimism,.as.different. definitions.may.lead.to.strikingly.different.conclusions..It.also.seems.essential.to.understand.the. mechanisms.that.underlie.optimism.(however.optimism.is.defined),.as.well.as. to.understand.the. extent.to.which.optimism.about.the.future.influences.the.chances.of.obtaining.the.very.outcomes. about.which.people.are.optimistic.
