{"id":107,"date":"2026-04-21T14:43:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T12:43:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/hope-a-research-based-explainer\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T14:43:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T12:43:23","slug":"hope-a-research-based-explainer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/hope-a-research-based-explainer\/","title":{"rendered":"Hope: A research-based explainer"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"sharing\">\n<div class=\"social-icons\">\n<div class=\"simplesocialbuttons simplesocial-round-icon simplesocialbuttons_inline simplesocialbuttons-align-right simplesocialbuttons-inline-no-animation\">\n<button class=\"simplesocial-fb-share\"  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"  aria-label=\"Facebook Share\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/home\/hope-research-based-explainer\/\" onClick=\"javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\"><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">Facebook <\/span> <\/button><br \/>\n<button class=\"simplesocial-twt-share\"  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"  aria-label=\"Twitter Share\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Hope%3A+A+research-based+explainer&#038;url=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/home\/hope-research-based-explainer\/\" onClick=\"javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\"><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">Twitter<\/span> <\/button><br \/>\n<button  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"  class=\"simplesocial-linkedin-share\" aria-label=\"LinkedIn Share\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/home\/hope-research-based-explainer\/\" onClick=\"javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\"><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/button><br \/>\n<button class=\"simplesocial-reddit-share\"  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"  aria-label=\"Reddit Share\" data-href=\"https:\/\/reddit.com\/submit?url=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/home\/hope-research-based-explainer\/&#038;title=Hope%3A+A+research-based+explainer\" onClick=\"javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\" ><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">Reddit<\/span> <\/button><br \/>\n<button onClick=\"javascript:window.location.href = this.dataset.href;return false;\" class=\"simplesocial-email-share\" aria-label=\"Share through Email\"  rel=\"nofollow\"  target=\"_blank\"   data-href=\"mailto:?subject=Hope%3A A research-based explainer&#038;body=https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/home\/hope-research-based-explainer\/\"><span class=\"simplesocialtxt\">Email<\/span><\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>This piece about research on hope, originally published in January 2024, was updated on Feb. 2, 2026, with additional findings.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Research on hope has flourished only in recent decades. There\u2019s now a growing recognition that hope has a role in physical, social, and mental health outcomes, including promoting resilience. <\/p>\n<p>In a 2025 study, published in the journal <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2025-93172-001?doi=1\">Emotion<\/a>, researchers found that people who felt more hopeful reported a stronger sense of meaning in their lives. In other words, it\u2019s not just feeling good &#8212; or believing you can reach goals &#8212; that matters; the specific feeling of hope uniquely contributes to perceiving life as meaningful.<\/p>\n<p>So what is hope? And what does the research say about it?<\/p>\n<p>Merriam-Webster <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/hope\">defines hope<\/a> as a \u201cdesire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.\u201d This definition highlights the two basic dimensions of hope: a desire and a belief in the possibility of attaining that desire.<\/p>\n<p>Hope is not Pollyannaish optimism, writes psychologist Everett Worthington <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/how-hope-can-keep-you-healthier-and-happier-132507\">in a 2020 article<\/a> for The Conversation. \u201cInstead, hope is a motivation to persevere toward a goal or end state, even if we\u2019re skeptical that a positive outcome is likely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There are several scientific theories about hope.<\/p>\n<p>One of the first, and most well-known, theories on hope was <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1991-17270-001\">introduced in 1991<\/a> by American psychologist Charles R. Snyder.<\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1991-17270-001\">paper<\/a> published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Snyder defined hope as a cognitive trait centered on the pursuit of goals and built on two components: a sense of agency in achieving a goal, and a perceived ability to create pathways to achieve that goal. He defined hope as something individualistic.<\/p>\n<p>Snyder also introduced the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7133019\/\">Hope Scale<\/a>, which continues to be used today, as a way to measure hope. He suggested that some people have higher levels of hope than others and there seem to be benefits to being more hopeful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor example, we would expect that higher as compared with lower hope people are more likely to have a healthy lifestyle, to avoid life crises, and to cope better with stressors when they are encountered,\u201d they write.<\/p>\n<p>Others have suggested broader definitions.<\/p>\n<p>In 1992, Kaye Herth, a professor of nursing and a scholar on hope, <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1430629\/\">defined hope<\/a> as \u201ca multidimensional dynamic life force characterized by a confident yet uncertain expectation of achieving good, which to the hoping person, is realistically possible and personally significant.\u201d Herth also developed the <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1430629\/\">Herth Hope Index<\/a>, which is used in various settings, including clinical practice and research.<\/p>\n<p>More recently, others have offered an even broader definition of hope.<\/p>\n<p>Anthony Scioli, a clinical psychologist and author of several books on hope, defines hope \u201cas an emotion with spiritual dimensions,\u201d in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2352250X22002147?via%3Dihub\">2023 review<\/a> published in Current Opinion in Psychology. \u201cHope is best viewed as an ameliorating emotion, designed to fill the liminal space between need and reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hope is also nuanced.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur hopes may be active or passive, patient or critical, private or collective, grounded in the evidence or resolute in spite of it, socially conservative or socially transformative,\u201d writes Darren Webb in <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/0952695107079335\">a 2007 study<\/a> published in History of the Human Sciences. \u201cWe all hope, but we experience this most human of all mental feelings in a variety of modes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To be sure, a few studies have shown that hope could have negative outcomes in certain populations and situations. For example, one study highlighted in the research roundup below finds that Black college students who had higher levels of hope experienced more stress due to racial discrimination compared with Black students who had lower levels of hope.<\/p>\n<p>Today, hope is one of the most well-studied constructs within the field of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/topics\/positive-psychology\">positive psychology<\/a>, according to the journal Current Opinion in Psychology, which dedicated its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/journal\/current-opinion-in-psychology\/special-issue\/10PV3R8NZF6\">August 2023 issue<\/a> to the subject. (Positive psychology is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/positive-psychology\">branch of psychology<\/a> focused on characters and behaviors that allow people to flourish.)<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve gathered several studies below to help you think more deeply about hope and recognize its role in your everyday lives.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Research roundup<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2025-93172-001?doi=1\"><strong>Hope as a Meaningful Emotion: Hope, Positive Effect, and Meaning in Life<br \/><\/strong><\/a>Megan E. Edwards; et al. Emotion, March 2025<\/p>\n<p><strong>The study<\/strong>:  This study examines whether hope, and specifically the feeling of hope, not just goal-directed thinking, plays a unique role in people\u2019s sense that life is meaningful. Previous research focused mostly on hope as a cognitive trait. The authors argue that hope is also an emotion and that this emotional component may matter in a distinct way. The researchers ran six studies, with a total of 2,312 participants using multiple methods and populations. <\/p>\n<p><strong>The findings<\/strong>: Hopeful feelings predicted greater meaning in life. In daily life, days when people felt more hopeful were days they felt life was more meaningful. In longitudinal analyses, hope predicted future meaning, while other positive emotions generally did not.  Hope was linked to<strong> <\/strong>three facets of meaning \u2014 purpose, coherence, and significance \u2014 whereas other emotions showed more limited or inconsistent associations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key takeaway<\/strong>: &#8220;People are motivated to feel like life is meaningful, and emotions can provide affirming information in this regard,&#8221; the authors write. &#8220;Hope may be especially important in affirming life&#8217;s meaning during difficult times.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While positive emotions like happiness and contentment may be harder to access during difficult times, &#8220;feeling hopeful may be an available positive experience even at such times, allowing for the maintenance of meaning regardless of the vicissitudes of life,&#8221; the authors write. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S259011332030002X?via%3Dihub\"><strong>The Role of Hope in Subsequent Health and Well-Being For Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach<\/strong><\/a><br \/>Katelyn N.G. Long; et al. Global Epidemiology, November 2020.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The study<\/strong>: To explore the potential public health implications of hope, researchers examine the relationship between hope and physical, behavioral and psychosocial outcomes in 12,998 older adults in the U.S. with a mean age of 66.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers note that most investigations on hope have focused on psychological and social well-being outcomes and less attention has been paid to its impact on physical and behavioral health, particularly among older adults.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The findings<\/strong>: Results show a positive association between an increased sense of hope and a variety of behavioral and psychosocial outcomes, such as fewer sleep problems, more physical activity, optimism and satisfaction with life. However, there wasn\u2019t a clear association between hope and all physical health outcomes. For instance, hope was associated with a reduced number of chronic conditions, but not with stroke, diabetes and hypertension.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The takeaway:<\/strong> \u201cThe later stages of life are often defined by loss: the loss of health, loved ones, social support networks, independence, and (eventually) loss of life itself,\u201d the authors write. \u201cOur results suggest that standard public health promotion activities, which often focus solely on physical health, might be expanded to include a wider range of factors that may lead to gains in hope. For example, alongside community-based health and nutrition programs aimed at reducing chronic conditions like hypertension, programs that help strengthen marital relations (e.g., closeness with a spouse), provide opportunities to volunteer, help lower anxiety, or increase connection with friends may potentially increase levels of hope, which in turn, may improve levels of health and well-being in a variety of domains.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32133663\/\"><strong>Associated Factors of Hope in Cancer Patients During Treatment: A Systematic Literature Review<\/strong><\/a><br \/>Corine Nierop-van Baalen,&nbsp;Maria Grypdonck,&nbsp;Ann van Hecke and&nbsp;Sofie Verhaeghe. Journal of Advanced Nursing, March 2020.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The study<\/strong>: The authors review 33 studies, written in English or Dutch and published in the past decade, on the relationship between hope and the quality of life and well-being of patients with cancer. Studies have shown that many cancer patients respond to their diagnosis by nurturing hope, while many health professionals feel uneasy when patients\u2019 hopes go far beyond their prognosis, the authors write.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The findings<\/strong>: Quality of life, social support and spiritual well-being were positively associated with hope, as measured with various scales. Whereas symptoms, psychological distress and depression had a negative association with hope. Hope didn\u2019t seem to be affected by the type or stage of cancer or the patient\u2019s demographics.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The takeaway<\/strong>: \u201cHope seems to be a process that is determined by a person&#8217;s inner being rather than influenced from the outside,\u201d the authors write. \u201cThese factors are typically given meaning by the patients themselves. Social support, for example, is not about how many patients experience support, but that this support has real meaning for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s11482-021-09967-x\"><strong>Characterizing Hope: An Interdisciplinary Overview of the Characteristics of Hope<\/strong><\/a><br \/>Emma Pleeging, Job van Exel and Martijn Burger. Applied Research in Quality of Life, September 2021.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The study<\/strong>: This systematic review provides an overview of the concept of hope based on 66 academic papers in ten academic fields, including economics and business studies, environmental studies, health studies, history, humanities, philosophy, political science, psychology, social science, theology and youth studies, resulting in seven themes and 41 sub-themes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The findings<\/strong>: The authors boil down their findings to seven components: internal and external sources, the individual and social experience of hope, internal and external effects, and the object of hope, which can be \u201cjust about anything we can imagine,\u201d the authors write.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The takeaway<\/strong>: \u201cAn important implication of these results lies in the way hope is measured in applied and scientific research,\u201d researchers write. \u201cWhen measuring hope or developing instruments to measure it, researchers could be well-advised to take note of the broader understanding of the topic, to prevent that important characteristics might be overlooked.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2020-19414-001?doi=1\"><strong>Revisiting the Paradox of Hope: The Role of Discrimination Among First-Year Black College Students<\/strong><\/a><br \/>Ryon C. McDermott, et al. Journal of Counseling Psychology, March 2020.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The study<\/strong>: Researchers examine the moderating effects of hope on the association between experiencing racial discrimination, stress and academic well-being among 203 first-year U.S. Black college students. They build on a small body of evidence that suggests high levels of hope might have a negative effect on Black college students who experience racial discrimination.<\/p>\n<p>The authors use data gathered as part of an annual paper-and-pencil survey of first-year college students at a university on the Gulf Coast, which the study doesn\u2019t identify.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The findings<\/strong>: Researchers find that Black students who had higher levels of hope experienced more stress due to racial discrimination compared with students who had lower levels of hope. On the other hand, Black students with low levels of hope may be less likely to experience stress when they encounter discrimination.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Black students who had high levels of hope were more successful in academic integration &#8212; which researchers define as satisfaction with and integration into the academic aspects of college life &#8212; despite facing discrimination. But low levels of hope had a negative impact on students\u2019 academic well-being.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe present study found evidence that a core construct in positive psychology, hope, may not always protect Black students from experiencing the psychological sting of discrimination, but it was still beneficial to their academic well-being,\u201d the authors write.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The takeaway<\/strong>: \u201cOur findings also highlight an urgent need to reduce discrimination on college campuses,\u201d the researchers write. \u201cReducing discrimination could help Black students (and other racial minorities) avoid additional stress, as well as help them realize the full psychological and academic benefits of having high levels of hope.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Additional reading<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2352250X22002263?via%3Dihub\"><strong>Hope Across Cultural Groups<\/strong><\/a> <br \/>Lisa M. Edwards and Kat McConnell. Current Opinion in Psychology, February 2023.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/chapter\/10.1007\/978-3-030-46489-9_8\"><strong>The Psychology of Hope: A Diagnostic and Prescriptive Account<\/strong><\/a> <br \/>Anthony Scioli. \u201cHistorical and Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Hope,\u201d July 2020.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/1448867\"><strong>Hope Theory: Rainbows in the Mind<\/strong><\/a> <br \/>C.R. Snyder. Psychological Inquiry, 2002.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/home\/hope-research-based-explainer\/\">Hope: A research-based explainer<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\">The Journalist&#039;s Resource<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\tA project of Harvard Kennedy School&#8217;s Shorenstein Center, The Journalist\u2019s Resource curates, summarizes and contextualizes high-quality research on newsy public policy topics. Supported by generous grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation, Lumina Foundation, and individual contributors.<\/p>\n<p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/donate-journalists-resource\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to make a donation to The Journalist\u2019s Resource<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/journalistsresource.org\/home\/hope-research-based-explainer\/\" target=\"_blank\">Link to Hope: A research-based explainer<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit Email This piece about research on hope, originally published in January 2024, was updated on Feb. 2, 2026, with additional findings. Research on hope has flourished only in recent decades. There\u2019s now a growing recognition that hope has a role in physical, social, and mental health outcomes, including promoting resilience. In &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3],"class_list":["type-post","category-news","tag-journalist-resource","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/journalists\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}