Glossary / Lexicon

Assumptive worlds refers to the view that people live in social worlds based on certain beliefs or "assumptions " about reality. Assumptive worlds are strongly held set of assumptions about thw world and the self which is confidently maintained and used as means of recognizing, planning, and acting (Parkes, 1975a) Moreover, Janoff-Bulman described an Assumptive world as a conceptual systems, developed over time, that provide individuals with expectations about the world and themselves. Janoff-Bulman asserted that the fundamental assumptions held by most people in their Assumptive worlds are: "The world is benevolent”; "The world is meaningful”; and "The self is worthy”