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? (Poster presentation at the Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, April 16, 2025)

What Is Hope? (Team profile)

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