Wellbeing
Optimism
10 questions · 3 min
This short questionnaire looks at optimism: how much you generally expect good things, rather than bad things, to happen in your life. It asks about your outlook in general, not about any one situation.
A few of the statements are there only to make the questions feel more natural and don’t count towards your score. There’s no right or wrong result.
Taking tests is free. Your results unlock with a free 7-day trial.
What it shows
How much you generally expect good or bad things to happen to you.
What it doesn’t
A diagnosis, or a prediction of what will actually happen.
Who it’s for
This check is for anyone who’s curious about their general outlook. You might be someone who tends to expect the best, someone who prefers to prepare for the worst, or somewhere in between, and it can be interesting to see where your answers land.
Your outlook tends to be fairly stable, but it can shift after big life changes or hard experiences. Taking it once or twice a year is a gentle way to notice whether yours is changing.
Questions people ask
What does the LOT-R measure?
It measures optimism: how much you generally expect good things, rather than bad things, to happen in your life. It’s about your outlook in general, not about any one situation.
Why don’t some questions count towards my score?
Four of the ten statements are fillers. They’re there to make the questionnaire feel more natural, so only the other six are scored.
How is the LOT-R scored?
Each scored answer counts from 0 to 4, and the three more doubtful statements are flipped so that a higher score always means more hopeful. The six are added up for a score from 0 to 24. There are no official cut-offs, so the result uses rough thirds.
Is a low score bad?
No. There’s no right or wrong outlook, and expecting the worst can be a way of protecting yourself, especially after hard experiences. The score isn’t a diagnosis or a prediction, but if a gloomy outlook goes along with low mood, a doctor or counsellor can help.
How often can I retake it?
Every six months or so. A general outlook usually changes slowly, so a longer gap gives a clearer picture.
Who developed the Life Orientation Test?
Psychologists Michael Scheier, Charles Carver and Michael Bridges, in 1994. This revised version updated an earlier one from 1985.
Where it comes from
Developed by psychologists Michael Scheier, Charles Carver and Michael Bridges in 1994, as an update of a 1985 version.
Life Orientation Test
On iPhone or iPad?
Sprout is an app there too, and this link opens the test straight away if you have it.
Coming soon to the App Store