Massey Research Online
Massey University’s Institutional Repository
Massey authors:
Towers AJ, Flett RA, Hill SR Other authors:
Reference: Towers AJ, Flett RA, Hill SR. (2009). What the hell was I
thinking? Understanding the precursors to real-life regret. The New Zealand Psychological Society Annual Conference 2009. Conflict ... Process ...
Resolution. Papa ... Mahi ... Ratanga., Palmerston North, NZ, 27 Aug 2009 - 30 Aug 2009.
Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10179/5798
DOI:
Copyright is owned by the Publisher or Author(s) of the paper. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The paper may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the copyright holder
What the hell was I thinking?
Understanding the precursors to real-life regret
Andy Towers, Ross Flett, & Stephen Hill
School of Psychology Massey University
A History of Regret
Regret is VERY common
What signals regret?
• Turned out worse than it could have
• We were responsible for the decision
• Involved something we care about
What do we regret?
Educational choices are our greatest regret*
*Roese, N. J., & Summerville, A. (2005). Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 31, 1273-1285.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Educ ation
Car eer
Roma nce
Paren ting
Self Le isur
e Fina
nce Fam
ily Hea
lth
Friends Sp iritua
lity Com
muni ty
Proportion of regrets (%)
Past theories of regret
Temporal Pattern to Life Regret
• Short-term: We regret actions more than inactions
• Long-term: We regret inactions more than actions
Differences in Life Domains
• High opportunity to change (e.g., education) = high regret
• Low opportunity to change (e.g., family) = low regret
But…
• Where is the humanity?
• Where is the intensity?
Pathway to a new theory
Everyday decision-making
• Implicit - Fast and requires little cognitive effort (e.g., heuristics)
• Explicit - Slow and requires a lot of cognitive effort (e.g., analysis)
A dual processes approach 1. Implicit orientation
• Semi-hard-wired responses (e.g., driving)
• Based on situational consistency
2. Justification
• Recognised as important
• Underdeveloped – what about levels of justification? Basis?
The Dual Process Theory of Regret
Strong justification
Weak justification justification No
Decision Implicit Process Explicit Process Level of Regret
Regrettable decision
Feels
‘Wrong’
Feels
‘Right’
Strong justification
Weak justification justification No
HIGHEST
LOWEST
Method
Participants
• 653 respondents (23% response rate)
• Aged 18-87 (mean = 48)
• Mainly NZ European (82%)
• Broad range of educational levels & work status
Postal Survey
• Greatest single short and long-term regret
• Regret intensity
• Whether regret contradicted personal life rules (i.e., self-consistency)
• How the decision was justified (i.e., strong, weak or none)
Results: Life domain
Short-term regrets
• No difference in intensity
0 5 10 15 20 25
Educ ation
Car eer
Roma nce
Paren ting
Self Le isur
e Fina
nce Fam
ily Hea
lth
FriendsTravel /move
Proportion of regrets (%)
Long-term regrets
• No difference in intensity
0 5 10 15 20
Educ ation
Car eer
Roma nce
Paren ting
Self Le isur
e Fina
nce Fam
ily Hea
lth
FriendsTravel /move
Proportion of regrets (%)
Results: Action vs. inaction
Conclusion:
• Theory of Life Domains does not work
• The Temporal Theory of Regret does not work
Intensity
• Actions more intense in long-term
3 4 5 6 7
Short-Term Regret Long-Term Regret Action
Inaction
Regret Intensity (1-9)
DPTR: Short-term regrets
Regret across DPTR groups
3 4 5 6 7
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Regret Intensity (1-9)
What influences short-term regret intensity?
Implicit Orientation (unconscious feeling)
Decision Justification (conscious thought)DPTR: Long-term regrets
Regret across DPTR groups
3 4 5 6 7
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Regret Intensity (1-9)
What influences long-term regret intensity?
Implicit Orientation (unconscious feeling)
Decision Justification (conscious thought)What influences the intensity of regret?
Our feelings of right and wrong
• Central to short and long-term regret
• If it feels wrong then don’t do it!
An explicit justification
• Only influences long-term regret intensity
Previous theories
• Do not work
MASSEY UNIVERSITY
MASSEY RESEARCH ONLINE http://mro.massey.ac.nz/
Massey Documents by Type Oral Presentations
What the hell was I thinking?
Understanding the precursors to real-life regret.
Towers, AJ
2009
06/09/2023 - Downloaded from MASSEY RESEARCH ONLINE