Empirical research on hope, expected effect and future time perspectives has employed a variety of different time frames. This research note contends that the effect of these time frames, frequently established by temporal instructions, merits further investigation. The present research compares four sets of time frame instructions with college students in the mid-west of the USA. Results indicate a significant increase of hope across the three specific time frames (with hope `in the next five years' being the greatest). While pessimism and hope for others did not vary with projected time, optimism and hope for self saw an increase through the specific time frames. Consequently, an asymmetry of `situational' versus `dispositional' self attribution for the past and future is proposed for this student population. We suggest that the self/other temporal distinction may be a fruitful area for cross cultural exploration.