Is hoping the same as expecting? Discrimination between hopes and response expectancies for nonvolitional outcomes

Despite the large literature on response expectancy effects, it is not clear to what degree individuals’ hopes are associated with their response expectancies for nonvolitional outcomes. Indeed, it is not clear whether these two constructs are separate. The present study sought to: (1) determine if participants can distinguish between expectancies and hopes; and (2) examine the relations between expectancies and hopes in regard to non-volitional outcomes. Seventy-three volunteers completed items regarding 10 non-volitional outcomes, as well as measures of dispositional traits (i.e. optimism, pessimism, suppression). The results revealed significant differences between expectancies and hopes (P<0.001), and that these constructs were also correlated. Dispositional traits and prior experience were also found to contribute to hopes and expectancies.