THE MYSTERY OF THE POLISH SOUL - JOHNSON,B.W. EFFECT A REBOURS

Studies conducted in Poland replicated a not very-well known effect di scovered by B. W. Johnson (1937). In his study students estimated thei r mood on several successive days each time comparing it to the mood t hey usually have. The results revealed a peculiar positive bias in tha t the students usually defined their mood as 'better than usual'. John son's study was replicated in Poland, where demonstration of optimism is not a cultural norm. The results suggest that Polish subjects 'usua lly define their mood as worse than usual'. The generalization and lim itation of this negative bias is discussed in the light of the Pollyan na Principle and related empirical studies involving Polish subjects.