Julian B. Rotter’s seminal work Social Learning and Clinical Psychology (1954) offered psychology a hopeful, humane vision of motivation through Expectancy–Value theory, proposing that behaviour is not driven blindly by instinct or conditioning but by a person’s expectancy that an action will lead to a desired outcome and the value placed on that outcome within a given psychological situation (formally, Behaviour Potential = f[Expectancy × Reinforcement Value]); building on earlier purposive traditions from Edward C. Tolman (1932, 1948) and Kurt Lewin’s field theory (1936), Rotter reframed learning as meaning-centred and future-oriented, later influencing achievement motivation (Atkinson, 1957), organisational psychology (Vroom, 1964), and modern educational models (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002), while his later work on locus of control (1966) further clarified how beliefs about agency shape wellbeing; from a Christian and biblical perspective, this framework resonates deeply with Scripture’s emphasis on hope, intentionality, and moral choice: “faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1), “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7), and “let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap” (Galatians 6:9). These Biblical truths affirm that human action flows from meaning, trust, and values rather than mere impulse; by illuminating how expectations can be reshaped and values clarified, expectancy. Value theory has enduring power for personal wellbeing (supporting motivation, resilience, and responsible agency) and for societal health, offering evidence-based guidance for education, mental health, leadership, and public policy that nurtures hopeful citizens who believe their actions matter and who pursue outcomes that serve both self and neighbour.