A Comparative Research on the Academic Performance of Selected Optimistic and

Pessimistic Grade Ten Students in Fiat Lux Academe Dasmariñas Campus

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in

Inquiries, Investigation and Immersion

Submitted by

Sarmiento, Nicko V.

Bartolome, Danielle A.

Manucan, Keana Gabrielle Y.

Regasa, Kristine T.

Grade 12 ABM – Adams

Submitted to

Mrs. Felicitas Centeno

February 2019
 ABSTRACT

This study stated about the difference of the optimists and pessimists. It aimed to

determine if there is a significant difference between the academic performances of optimistic

and pessimistic students. Using Purposive and Quota sampling techniques, the researchers

conducted a survey and the data obtained included the students’ age, gender as well as their latest

academic grades. The data were analysed using the Two-sampled Z-Test and identified which of

the null and alternative hypothesis was accepted. Results have shown that the alternative

hypothesis is correct which means that there is a significant difference between the academic

performances of optimistic and pessimistic students.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Optimism and pessimism are some of the factors which may drive certain things

positively or negatively. In an online article by Bruna Martinuzzi (n.d.) entitled, Optimism: The

Hidden Asset, optimism is one of the important components of achievement. It is also important

when times of chaos occur. It is also stated that optimism is more important when it comes to

leadership because it drives positive attitudes not only to the leaders but also other employees

which may lead to positive outcomes. In addition to that, it is stated that optimism has a positive

effect towards fighting depression and aiding professional, academic, and sport achievement. On

the other hand, the author addressed the pessimists as the people who are more realistic and

usually accurate about dangers and risks.

In the online website of the United States’ psychology magazine named Psychology

Today, a reference article entitled, Pessimism: Cynicism, Negative Thinking, it was stated that

with pessimism comes anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, hostility, high blood pressure heart

disease and lifestyle of choices that could affect the health and well-being.

Students can be some of the people who are possibly affected by optimism and

pessimism. Even though majority of the articles stated that people with optimistic personality

tend to have better academic performance, it was argued in some researches that not all

pessimists get lower academic grades because of their ability to think about the possible negative

outcomes and what strategies they have to use just to prevent those outcomes.
 In Martin Seligman’s book entitled ‘Learned Optimism’, he made a great distinction

between the optimists and the pessimists. The defining characteristics of pessimists is that they

tend to believe bad events will last a long time, will undermine everything they do, and are their

own fault (Seligman, 1991). Otherwise, the optimists view struggles in the opposite way. They

believe that these happenings are only temporary, and they perceive bad situations as challenges

which drive them to even try harder.

There are researches which have shown that optimism has a positive correlation with

many positive outcomes in life, including increased effort and success with work and sports. In

Charles Carver and Michael Scheier’s Dispositional Optimism Theory (1992), they argued that

optimism leads to positive outcomes while pessimism leads to negative outcomes. Another

theory, Hope Theory, defines hope as a mental set directed towards goal attainment (Synder et

al., 2000). In addition to that, Alan Loy Mcginnis’ The Power of Optimism (1990) spelled out

the characteristics of optimists which are: 1) Optimists are seldom surprised by trouble; 2)

Optimists look for partial solutions; 3) Optimists believe they have control over their future; 4)

Optimists allow for regular renewal; 5) Optimists interrupt their negative trains of thought; 6)

Optimists heighten their powers of appreciation.7) Optimists use their imaginations to rehearse

success; 8) Optimists are cheerful even when they can’t be happy; 9) Optimists believe they have

an almost unlimited capacity for stretching; 10) Optimists build lots of love into their lives; 11)

Optimists like to swap good news; and 12) Optimists accept what cannot be changed.

With this study, it is identified if there is a significant difference between the

academic performances of optimistic and pessimistic students.

Background of the Study

The researchers were curious if there really is a significant difference between the

academic performances of optimistic and pessimistic students. Aside from that, there had been

only few study regarding this matter in our country, and that it could also help the community to

have better perspective when it comes to optimism and pessimism. The researchers chose this

topic to know if optimism affects the academic performance of the students positively, and if

optimistic students do have better academic performance than the pessimistic students.

Statement of the Problem

High school students in Fiat Lux Academe have different views toward life. Because of

this, they might have different approaches to their responsibilities especially the academic

matters which could affect their academic performances. There is a possibility that optimistic and

pessimistic students have difference in their academic performances. The study aimed to identify

which of the following hypotheses were correct:

 Null hypothesis – there is no significant difference between the optimistic and

pessimistic students.

 Alternative hypothesis – there is a significant difference between the optimistic

and pessimistic students.

To achieve its objectives, these are the questions to be answered:

 1. How may the profile of the respondents be described in terms of the following:

 Age

 Gender

 Academic Performance

2. Is there a significant difference between the academic performances of optimistic and

pessimistic students?

3. Do optimistic students have a better academic performance than pessimists?

Theoretical Framework

Dispositional Optimism Theory – defines optimism as a positive future expectation and

pessimism as a negative future expectation; according to this theory, positive outcome

expectancy is a combination of the value of a goal and the individual’s confidence that he/she

can achieve it (Carver and Scheier, 2000).

Hope Theory – composed of two components: the agency and pathways thinking. The

‘agency’ is the capacity to use pathways to achieve goals while ‘pathways thinking’ is the ability

to develop routes to reach goals. When both of these components are positive, positive

expectation occurs, leading to goal achievement. When one is negative (or both of them are

negative), a negative expectation occurs, leading to goal abandonment.

Significance of the Study

The study can indicate if optimism and pessimism of the students in FLA affects their

academic performances and show the difference in academic performance between the

pessimistic and optimistic students. The result of this paper is significant to the following:

 Researchers -This can help the researchers to determine the academic differences

between a pessimist and optimist

 Individuals –This paper can help individuals to know the difference in terms of

academics between an optimist and pessimist

 Optimist and Pessimist students – This study can help them know how their academic

performances differ from one another

 Parents – Parents could be

 Teachers – They could be able to know if there is a significant difference between their

optimistic and pessimistic students.

 Future researchers – This study can help future researches that will create the same kind

of topic, future researches can use this paper as a guide for their study.

This study is significant because there had been only few study regarding this matter in

our country, and that it could also help the community to have better perspective when it comes

to high and low academic grades.

Scope and Limitation

 Research Participants- The study involves eighty (80) respondents from Fiat Lux

Academe- Dasmariñas Campus, specifically from the grade ten (10). The delimitation of

the study is that the research did not involve all of the students in FLA-D but only

students from the grade ten (10) level.

 Location- The study is limited to be conducted inside the vicinity of Fiat Lux Academe

Dasmariñas only and not including other educational institutions.

The research did not include the effects of optimism and pessimism to students’ academic

performances, but only compared the difference between their academic performances.

Assumption of the Study

In relation to the study’s theoretical framework which includes that positive outcome

expectancy (optimism) creates motivation to achieve goals while negative outcome expectancy

(pessimism) prevents achievement (Dispositional Optimism Theory) the researchers assumed

that there is a significant difference between the academic performances of optimistic and

pessimistic students, and that optimistic students do have better academic performance than the

pessimistic students.
Definition of Terms

annual - occurring once every year

correlation - a mutual relationship or connection between two or more things

disposition - a person's inherent qualities of mind and character

level of confidence – percentage of all possible samples that can be expected to include the true

population parameter

mean – the average of calculated values

optimist - a person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future or the success of

something

perceive - become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand

pessimist - a person who tends to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will

happen

quarterly - done, produced, or occurring once every quarter of a year

unfazed - not surprised or worried

undermine - to gradually weaken or destroy someone or something