Change in feelings of regret over time: Relation to decision-making style, behavior, and coping methods

Abstract

This study investigated the change in feelings of regret over time in relation to decision-making style, critical thinking, behavior, and coping methods with the regret. Seventy undergraduate students completed a questionnaire on critical thinking, decision-making styles, feelings of regret and the coping methods in five different situations: entrance examinations, declarations of love, skiing, career changes, and investments. Results showed the following. First, in situations which normally occur only once (i.e., entrance examinations), subjects who indicated inaction felt increased regret over time, but those who indicated action felt decreased regret. Conversely, in situations which occur regularly (i.e., declarations of love and skiing), both of those who indicated action and inaction felt decreased regret. Second, people who indicated action coped with their regret using the method of rationalization more often than those who indicated inaction. In situations which normally occur only once, analytic decision-makers tended to cope with their regret by improving their behavior more than intuitive decision-makers. Finally, critical thinkers tended to adopt an analytic style more often than an intuitive style.

Effects of the Deliberate Decision-Making Style on Career Decision-Making Processes and Coping With Regret After High School

“…We measured the degree to which the individuals who felt regret used each coping technique described, immediately after the affiliation decision as well as in the present. The copings comprised rationalization, improvement with greater effort, and changing one's own actions (Ueichi & Kusumi, 2004). Each coping was measured by one item (see Table 3).…”

“…We measured the intensity of the participants' emotions (satisfaction, regret, and disappointment) regarding their affiliation immediately after they decided their own affiliation and feelings at the moment they responded to the questionnaire. Each of the emotions was measured by one item (Ueichi & Kusumi, 2004; see Table 2): "Immediately after making the affiliation decision, how strongly did you feel satisfaction/regret/disappointment for your affiliation?" and "At present, how strongly do you feel satisfaction/regret/disappointment with regard to your affiliation?"…”

“…One of the important factors that avoid regret is the deliberate decision-making style (Ueichi & Kusumi, 2004). Using a vignette-style questionnaire, the aforementioned study suggested that the people who used the deliberate decision-making style felt less regret when they got negative outcomes, and they coped more effectively with feelings of regret than those who did not use this style.…”

“…This view emphasizes not only the need to gather appropriate amount of detailed information but also the importance of the deliberate decision-making style. Using a vignette-style questionnaire, Ueichi and Kusumi (2004) found that individuals who deliberated more were more likely to apply to a second-choice university than to a first-choice one.…”

The use of the Decision Regret Scale in non-clinical contexts

“…The contributions of Ordóñez and Connolly (2000) and Zeelenberg et al (2000) , and more recently Gaafar et al (2018) while considering the function of predictors or concurrent variables of regret, indicated a probable link between regret and a person’s decision-making style. Earlier, Ueichi and Kusumi (2004) also presented an observational study in which some relationships between regret and decision-making styles were illustrated. More specifically, they reported that analytic decision-makers tended to cope with their regret by improving their behavior more than intuitive decision-makers.…”