“Positive Psychology”

PSY-422
Lecture 9
“Positive Emotional States & Processes ” (Part II)
“ Hope and Optimism ”
By: Wajeeha Komal
Lecturer
Department of Education & Psychology
KUST

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

Outlines
 Defining hope
 “Hope Theory”
 Hope as Belief, Desire, and Beyond
 Hope and “Positive Thinking”
 The dangers of hope
 The value of hope

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

DEFINING HOPE
 Hope is something we can hold on to even when we’ve lost confidence.

 For example, a person may hope for justice even when they expect that it is not

forthcoming and thus they aren’t optimistic.

 We often call this “hoping against hope.” This section begins with the question,

What is hope?

 Explanation

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

“Hope Theory”
When it comes to defining hope, we see important differences across disciplines.
Within psychology, C. R. Snyder’s account of hope has received the most attention.
This approach to hope is often labeled “Hope Theory.” Given its prominence in
psychology and given that it has received substantial attention in the popular positive
psychology movement, it is worth briefly discussing.
Explanation .

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

Hope as Belief, Desire, and Beyond

Philosophers working on hope almost unanimously agree that hope requires two
elements.
First, a person who hopes must believe that what they hope for is possible.
For example, Ahmed doesn’t hope to meet Socrates, even if he wishes he could talk
to him, since Ahmed exists now and Socrates died more than two millennia ago.
Explanation :

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

Hope and “Positive Thinking”

Hope is often thought of as a kind of “positive thinking.” This section explores whether this is
true and why it matters.

Explanation :

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

DANGERS OF HOPE

 Overconfidence

 Demotivation

 Otherworldliness

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

THE VALUE OF HOPE

 Hope’s Motivational Value

 Hope and Personal Identity

 Hopes, Dreams, and the Revelation of Value

 Hope’s Political Value

 Hope and Death

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

References
 Arpaly, N. (2014). Duty, desire and the good person: Towards a non-Aristotelian account of virtue.
Philosophical Perspectives 28, 59-74.

 Assad, K. K., Donnellan, M. B., and Conger, R. D. (2007). Optimism: An enduring resource for romantic
relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 93, 285–297.

 Parks, A. C. , & Schueller, S. M. (2014). The Wiley Blackwell handbook of positive psychological

interventions . West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons. 

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com
Topic: Positive Emotional States & Processes

Thanks
Thanks

Course: Positive Psychology, PSY-422 , Instructor: Wajeeha Komal, Lecturer , Department of Education & Psychology, KUST- Email: psychology4every1@gmail.com