3 Ps

"If you want to change your explanatory style, start by evaluating where you fall on the spectrum from pessimism to optimism. Researchers do this by analyzing the way people use the "three Ps" (personal, permanent, and pervasive elements) in their descriptions of past events."   Beck. 


http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Martha-Beck-How-to-Think-Your-Way-Free/

The learned optimism model begins with the Ellis' ABC model of adversity, belief, and consequence. Adversity is the event that happens, belief is how that adversity is interpreted, and consequences are the feelings and actions that result from the beliefs. This is demonstrated in the example below:

• Adversity: Someone cuts you off in traffic.
• Belief: You think, “I can’t believe that idiot was so rude and selfish!”
• Consequence: You are overcome with anger, yelling profanity at the other driver.

In the journey to learning optimism, one must first understand one's natural reaction to and interpretation of adversity. In order to do so, learners are asked to keep a journal, for two days, of small adverse events and the beliefs and consequences that followed.

Next the learner simply returns to the journal to highlight pessimism (e.g. pervasiveness: "it doomed me...") in their written descriptions of the events.

Seligman adds to the ABC model, making his model ABCDE. D stands for disputation, which centers around providing counter-evidence to any of the following: the negative beliefs in general, the causes of the event, or the implications.

D also means reminding oneself of any potential usefulness of moving on from the adversity. Disputation for the above traffic example might sound like this: “I am overreacting. I don’t know what situation he is in. Maybe he is on his way to his daughter’s piano recital and is running late. I’m sure I have cut people off before without meaning to, so I should really cut him a break. I am not in a hurry anyway.”

Over time, responses like this can change feelings to be more hopeful and positive.