What is the right amount of adversity to have experienced? Is it best to have a carefree life that minimizes stress and allows a person to focus on his or her job? Or could a life filled with adversity build character and enable someone to function better in an unpredictable work environment? Or is the best choice somewhere in between these two extremes, where there is not too little or too much adversity?
In addressing this “Goldilocks” dilemma, one researcher (Seery, 2011) recently reviewed the literature on several studies that examined adversity, resilience, performance, and level of functioning. It was found that individuals who had a history of some adversity had better outcomes than those who had either lots of adversity or minimal amounts of adversity. Employers might want to consider this information when deciding which employees to select, in addition to the more typical methods of assessing candidates, such as previous experience, education, personality, or intelligence.
Seery, M. D. (2011). Resilience: A silver lining to experiencing adverse life events? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20(6), 390–394.
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