What Is Hope? Bridging the Gap Between Lived Experience and Research (2024-2025)

This project team set out to explore the meaning of hope, including the myriad of ways people experience it in their lives. By focusing on both secular and spiritual perspectives – especially the under-explored view of hope as a religious competency – the team sought to understand hope not just as a coping mechanism, but as a preventative factor in mental health and a contributor to human flourishing.

The team conducted 76 in-depth interviews with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including a subgroup of religious leaders, to gather personal stories of hope. They analyzed these narratives using a qualitative coding framework based on three guiding questions: For what or whom do people hope? Who ignites and sustains that hope? How does hope feel?

By integrating firsthand narratives with established psychological theories, the team contributed to a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of hope. Their findings revealed that hope is not only a motivating force, but also a deeply human experience shaped by life stage, relationships and existential reflection.

The project highlighted the importance of listening to marginalized voices, embracing emotional complexity and recognizing hope as both a personal and communal resource for navigating life’s challenges. By identifying recurring themes and varied expressions of hope, the project contributed to a deeper and more inclusive scientific understanding of hope.

Learn more about this team’s work by reading their team profile.

Timing

Fall 2024 – Summer 2025

Team Outputs

Qualitative interviews

Qualitative coding protocol

Interactive coding visualization

What Is Hope? (Team profile)

 

Image: Hope, by Thomas Hawk, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0