The mind and the future: The (negative) power of expectations

We try to identify the configurations of beliefs and goals typical of the various kinds of representation of the future: forecasts, hopes and fears, and a particular kind of anticipatory representations, that we call "hope-casts" and "fear-casts", which are supposed to imply both forecasts and either hopes or fears, and also a normative component according to which the expected event "ought" to happen. We address the psychological consequences of hope-casts, either before or after the expected event comes true or false, and point to the sense of injustice and loss produced by
violated hope-casts. We also address individual differences in dealing with violated hope-casts, and the possible role played by just world beliefs, optimism, and defensive pessimism. Finally, we compare our model with related approaches, and stress the negative potential of hope-casts in terms of the negative attitudes associated with them, which hamper people's ability to cope with disappointment.

Publication type: 
Articolo
Author or Creator: 
Miceli M.
Castelfranchi C.
Publisher: 
SAGE,, London , Regno Unito
Source: 
Theory & psychology 12 (2002): 335–366. doi:10.1177/0959354302012003015
info:cnr-pdr/source/autori:Miceli M., Castelfranchi C./titolo:The mind and the future: The (negative) power of expectations/doi:10.1177/0959354302012003015/rivista:Theory & psychology/anno:2002/pagina_da:335/pagina_a:366/intervallo_pagine:335–366/volume:1
Date: 
2002
Resource Identifier: 
http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/46700
https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959354302012003015
info:doi:10.1177/0959354302012003015
Language: 
Eng