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The Science of Hope | Jacqueline Mattis

May 4, 2022

Join clinical psychologist Dr. Jacqueline Mattis, a Dean at Rutgers University, as she unpacks the science of hope. She reveals how hope can be cultivated as a mental skill and shares insights from her research on spirituality in African-American and Afri-Caribbean communities. Explore the balance between genuine hope and unrealistic optimism, and the transformative power of belief. Dr. Mattis also shares practical strategies for setting goals and embracing uncertainty to foster resilience amid challenges.

01:09:12

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Jacqueline Mattis

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Episode notes

Intro

3min

Exploring the Intersection of Belief and Hope

2min

Faith and Hope: A Journey of Resilience

7min

Navigating the Terrain of Hope and Optimism

24min

The Resilience of Hope

7min

Cultivating Hope: The Essential Role of Goal Setting

2min

Cultivating Hope through Uncertainty

22min

Understanding Humanity Through Self-Reflection and Empathy

4min

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How does hope work?

In this episode from the archives, Rutgers University clinical psychologist Dr. Jacqueline Mattis discusses hope from a scientific perspective and how we can cultivate it.

Dr. Mattis, who is also a Dean of faculty at Rutgers, did not start her career wanting to study hope. She started out studying spirituality and religiosity, specifically concentrating her field work and interviews in African-American and Afri-Caribbean urban communities. She wanted to know why people living under high stress conditions so often choose to be good and compassionate. And that research ultimately led her to hope.

In this episode we talk about:

How her family history influenced her relationship to optimism and faith
The difference between spirituality and religiosity
The benefits of hope and skills to cultivate it
The ways hope can go wrong
And the benefits of denial

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/jacqueline-mattis-340-repost

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