Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
6-2006
Abstract
Few sex differences in regret or counterfactual thinking are evident in past research. The authors discovered a sex difference in regret that is both domain-specific (i.e., unique to romantic relationships) and interpretable within a convergence of theories of evolution and regulatory focus. Three studies showed that within romantic relationships, men emphasize regrets of inaction over action (which correspond to promotion vs. prevention goals, respectively), whereas women report regrets of inaction and action with equivalent frequency. Sex differences were not evident in other interpersonal regrets (friendship, parental, sibling interactions) and were not moderated by relationship status. Although the sex difference was evident in regrets centering on both sexual and nonsexual relationship aspects, it was substantially larger for sexual regrets. These findings underscore the utility of applying an evolutionary perspective to better understand goal-regulating, cognitive processes.
Keywords
sex differences, counterfactual thinking, sexual regrets, cognitive processes, love
Discipline
Gender and Sexuality | Personality and Social Contexts | Social Psychology
Research Areas
Psychology
Publication
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
Volume
32
Issue
6
First Page
770
Last Page
780
ISSN
0146-1672
Identifier
10.1177/0146167206286709
Publisher
SAGE
Citation
ROESE, Neal J., PENNINGTON, Ginger L., COLEMAN, Jill, JANICKI, Maria, LI, Norman P., & KENRICK, Douglas T..(2006). Sex Differences in Regret: All For Love or Some For Lust?. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32(6), 770-780.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/721
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167206286709
Included in
Gender and Sexuality Commons, Personality and Social Contexts Commons, Social Psychology Commons