Although the existence of hope is predicated on
appraisals of outcomes viewed as goal congruent and possible,
appraisal theorists link its intensity to variation in the
importance and goal-congruity dimensions. The more
important a person perceives a goal-congruent outcome, the
greater is the value attached to its occurrence and the more
severe are the potential consequences of its failure. Averill,
Catlin, and Chon (1990) find that objects of hope are
described as highly important. Hope is not viewed as an
appropriate emotion when the outcome is trivial. Lazarus
(1991) indicates that in some cases, the value or importance
is driven by perceived deficiencies between the current and
the desired end state. Lazarus (1999, p. 653) writes, “A fundamental
condition of … hope is that our current life circumstance
is unsatisfactory—that is, it involves deprivation.”
Consistent with this idea, Hamilton (1978) indicates
that perceived deficiencies in economic assets stimulated
hope for gold in the California Gold Rush. Similarly, participation
in the lottery is greatest among consumers with the
most limited economic means (Clotfelter and Cook 1989).