TAU researcher directs Israeli participation in "Hope Barometer"

International project sponsored by Swiss Society for Future Studies will be led by a TAU scientist

27 November 2019

Occupational therapist Dr. Dorit Redlich Amirav of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine has been appointed to direct the annual international Hope Barometer project in Israel.

 

The Hope Barometer was established by the Swiss Society for Future Studies in 2011 to determine how much societies are focused on hope as opposed to immediate threats, concerns and fears. It does so through an online questionnaire that asks people to indicate whether they are optimistic or pessimistic about their personal lives, political and economic policies, climate change and the environment. They are then asked to describe their hopes and concerns about the coming year.

 

"Research has shown that hope promotes health and well-being in many aspects of people's lives," Dr. Redlich Amirav explains. "The SSFS group of researchers from various fields developed the Hope Barometer to reveal the foundation of hope in individuals and society."

 

The necessity of hope

The Hope Barometer has so far assessed 15 countries, including Australia, Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. Israel is participating for the first time this year. Israel is likely to score high on the Hope Barometer, Dr. Redlich Amirav says. "We are living in a time of stress, concerns and uncertainty for the future, but this is precisely where hope comes into play. You don't think about hope unless you need it, and I believe we are in a time when hope is needed on a personal, communal and societal level.

 

"Exploring hope is the beginning of a discourse on hope," she continues. "The questionnaire is open to any individual in Israel through November. It takes only 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire, and we're encouraging all Israelis to complete it and disseminate it nationwide. We will analyze the results over the following few months."

 

The Hebrew-language Hope Barometer questionnaire is available to all Israelis.

 
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