Counterfactuals are thoughts of what might have been, of what could have occurred in the past if only some detail or action were altered. These thoughts influence a range of emotions, cognitions, and behavior, are closely related to rumination, and have recently been found to be associated with depression and schizophrenia. The previous grant tested a Two-Stage Motivational Model (2SM) of counterfactual thinking and generated several important findings. A revision to this theory, the goal inference perspective, is tested in the present application. This goal inference perspective argues that counterfactuals are for the most part goal-directed and a component of behavior regulation, suggesting that nearly all previously identified determinants of counterfactual thinking exert their effects by way of alteration to goal inferences.
Aim 1 of this application is to test the main propositions of this perspective, for example that counterfactuals in and of themselves activate goal inferences, and that negative affect activates counterfactual thinking with mediation by goal progress inferences.
Aim 2 is to follow-up two key discoveries from the previous funding period that have particular implications for this goal inference perspective: a domain-specific sex difference in counterfactual thinking that is best understood using regulatory focus theory, and impoverished counterfactual thinking in schizophrenia patients.
Aim 3 is to draw theoretical connections to other kinds of comparative judgment, social and temporal comparison, using the insights of this goal inference perspective. The overall objective is to forge a new and comprehensive theoretical specification of counterfactual thinking. ? ?
| Smallman, Rachel; Roese, Neal J (2009) Counterfactual Thinking Facilitates Behavioral Intentions. J Exp Soc Psychol 45:845-852 |
| Roese, Neal J; Park, Sohee; Gibson, Crystal et al. (2008) Schizophrenia involves impairment in the activation of intentions by counterfactual thinking. Schizophr Res 103:343-4 |
| Smallman, Rachel; Roese, Neal J (2008) Preference invites categorization. Psychol Sci 19:1228-32 |
| Saffrey, Colleen; Summerville, Amy; Roese, Neal J (2008) Praise for regret: People value regret above other negative emotions. Motiv Emot 32:46-54 |
| Summerville, Amy; Roese, Neal J (2008) Self-Report Measures of Individual Differences in Regulatory Focus: A Cautionary Note. J Res Pers 42:247-254 |
| Epstude, Kai; Roese, Neal J (2008) The functional theory of counterfactual thinking. Pers Soc Psychol Rev 12:168-92 |
| Summerville, Amy; Roese, Neal J (2008) Dare to Compare: Fact-Based versus Simulation-Based Comparison in Daily Life. J Exp Soc Psychol 44:664-671 |
| Roese, Neal J; Olson, James M (2007) Better, Stronger, Faster Self-Serving Judgment, Affect Regulation, and the Optimal Vigilance Hypothesis. Perspect Psychol Sci 2:124-141 |
| Roese, Neal J; Summerville, Amy; Fessel, Florian (2007) Regret and Behavior: Comment on Zeelenberg and Pieters. J Consum Psychol 17:25-28 |
| Burrus, Jeremy; Roese, Neal J (2006) Long ago it was meant to be: the interplay between time, construal, and fate beliefs. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 32:1050-8 |
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