| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the impact of experienced regret on the formation of goal-relevant intentions and motivations. Based on functional emotion theories, which posit emotions are coordinated responses that resolve challenges to goals, experienced regret was expected to increase the formation of goal relevant intentions and motivations, even in domains unrelated to the source of regret. The present investigation also assessed one potential mechanism that might contribute to this relationship – narrowed focus of attention.
Study 1 examined the impact of experienced regret on attention and formation of goal-relevant intentions and motivations. Participants wrote narratives to elicit experienced regret, anticipated regret, or a neutral state. They then completed a global-local task to measure attention, and indicated intentions and motivations to pursue an important goal. Study 2 examined the impact of experienced regret on attention and formation of goal-relevant intentions and motivations in a same or different domain as the source of regret. Participants read scenarios to elicit experienced regret (over a social situation) or a neutral state. They then completed a global-local task to measure attention, and indicated intentions and motivations to pursue either an important social goal (same domain) or health goal (different domain). Study 3 examined the impact of experienced regret on goal pursuit over time, and in a real world domain. Participants wrote narratives to elicit experienced regret, and then indicated intentions and motivations to pursue their New Year’s Resolution.
Overall, hypotheses were not supported in this investigation- experienced regret did not increase goal-relevant intentions or motivations in either a same or different domain. Although null findings cannot be clearly interpreted, the findings in the present investigation might suggest that experienced regret has no impact on goal pursuit, or that its impact is at least limited to decisions in a particular domain. Future investigations should address potential limitations, as well as assess goal pursuit under more controlled conditions | en |
