Table 2.

Percent of open-ended responses classified in each distinct domain of reasoning

Category	Example	Percent of Responses
Faith in a higher power	“In uncertain times, God knows what to do for me, he will take care of me and even if I do not like what is happening, soon after I can usually see the positives, the lesson or God’s plan unfolding for me.”	3
Belief in fate or a just world	“Things usually go right in the end.”	15
Personal fortune	“In the past things never went my way.”	16
Belief in the role of one’s own ability	“I feel that I have control over most situations that I am confronted with.”	18
Reliance on idioms	“Life is what you make of it.”	2
The usefulness of thinking optimistically	“Because having a positive attitude usually brings about positive results. Nothing good ever comes from being negative.”	16
Matter-of-fact statements	“I am usually an optimistic person.”	25
A feeling, intuition, or hope	“I hope for the best, more than expect it.”	2