Abstract from Optimism and Fundamentalism
Marvin Seligman, Ph D

Note from Gary: What Dr. Seligman calls "Fundamentalism" we would call "Evangelical" or "Bible Believing" churches. Seligman is a non-practicing agnostic psychologist who is past president of the American Psycholgy Assoc. I suggest you get his books: Learned Optimism and Authentic Happiness. They are wonderful primers for teachers, preachers and parents.

Explanatory style from nine religious groups, representing fundamentalist, moderate, and liberal viewpoints, was investigated by questionnaire and by blind content analysis of their sermons and liturgy.

Fundamentalist individuals were significantly more optimistic by questionnaire than those from moderate religions, who were in turn more optimistic than liberals. The liturgy and sermons showed the parallel pattern of optimism.

Regression analyses suggested that the greater optimism of fundamentalist individuals may be entirely accounted for by the greater hope and daily influence fundamentalism engenders, along with the greater optimism of the religious services they hear.