REGRET AS A MODULATORY SYSTEM: HOW IMAGINED FUTURES BECOME REAL PASTS

The goal of this research was to empirically test a proposed theory that was developed to explain how humans simulate future undesirable outcomes, evaluate their past behaviors, and potentially grow from these experiences through anticipated and retrospective regret. Using a longitudinal design, we measured students’ study habit quality, study habit quantity, study goals, anticipated regret, retrospective regret, and behavior-goal inconsistency. From this, we proposed four specific hypotheses: (a) conscientiousness will moderate the relationship between study habits and anticipated regret, (b) anticipated regret will positively predict study habits mediated through anticipated inconsistency, (c) the consistency-fit mediation findings from Seta et al. (2001) will replicate such that poor decisions will predict increased levels of retrospective regret, mediated through behavioral-goal inconsistency (d) retrospective regret will predict future anticipated regret will be mediated through a desire to change future behavior. We found that conscientiousness may moderate the relationship between anticipated regret and study habits (though it does uniquely predict study habits), anticipated regret does positively predict study habits mediated through anticipated inconsistency, the consistency-fit mediation findings were replicated, and the relationship between retrospective regret and anticipated regret is moderated by a desire to change future behavior. These findings suggest that regret indeed plays an important and functional role in day-to-day self-regulation and goal-setting.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Valshtein, Timothy Jacob

• Consistency-fit

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/59271

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/59271