Positive Psychology Links Hope and Happiness
Research Study on Hopefulness, Optimism, and Well-Being
Hope is an important component of the good life. Positive psychology researchers examining the role of hope in happiness find it is a significant contributor to several aspects of well-being, a measure of happiness.
"We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." ~Barack Obama
Hope and Happiness
In an interview with researcher Shane Lopez, Ph.D., published in the December, 2008 Newsletter of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) by Suzie Pileggi, Lopez described hope as "the ideas and energy you have for the future." Lopez further noted that hope is "a pathway to all forms of well-being, a common measure of happiness." Lopez noted research studies showing that "hope had a significant effect on thirteen of the fourteen well-being components."
According to Dr. Lopez, hope forms when "goals thinking (I want to go from here to there) combines with pathways thinking (I know many ways to get from here to there), and agency thinking (I think I can get from here to there)."
"Once you choose hope, anything's possible." ~Christopher Reeve
Hope and Optimism
Hope differs somewhat from optimism, which is a broader viewpoint on the positive aspects of life, while hope tends to focus on specific goals or aspects of life. Both hope and optimism correlate closely with happiness.
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." ~Dale Carnegie
Hope is a predictor of academic success, the ability to cope with difficult situations, and, surprisingly, increased pain tolerance. Those with high measures of hope often demonstrate the ability to tolerate twice as much pain for twice as long as those with low hope measures.
Hopefulness Can be Learned
Though some people are naturally hopeful, hope can be learned. In an article on WebMD Health News ("Does 'Hope Therapy' Help Depression?" August 18, 2008), Kelley Colihan reported on a small study by Jennifer Cheavens of Ohio State University. In this study, participants in group therapy sessions were taught skills that researchers believe are related to hope.
At the conclusion, the group therapy participants had significantly more change in measures of self-esteem, life meaning, and anxiety than those not in the group therapy.
"If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Positive Psychology Studies
The latest research from positive psychology studies reinforces the importance and benefits of hope, optimism, and positive thinking. Fortunately, people can learn to have a hopeful attitude.
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