Cultural grounding of regret: Regret in self and interpersonal contexts

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore cultural similarities and differences in regret, focusing on distinctions between interpersonal and self-situations, and between action and inaction regrets. Japanese and American undergraduates were asked to describe regrets experienced in interpersonal and self-situations. We found that both situational and cultural contexts influenced the likelihood of regretting inactions over actions. Participants were more likely to recall inaction regrets in self-situations than in interpersonal situations, and that the likelihood of recalling inaction regrets was more pronounced for Americans than for Japanese. Furthermore, we examined the intensity of the regret. Whereas American students experienced regret as intense as that of Japanese students in self-situations, Japanese students experienced regret more strongly than American students in interpersonal situations. Detailed content analysis also showed that individuals experienced regret in ways consistent with cultural values. The situational and cultural grounding of regret is discussed.

The influence of anticipated regret on business start-up behaviour

“…Specifically, anticipation of regret can motivate individuals to behave in accord with their cultural norms (Komiya et al, 2011), meaning that regulation strategies could vary across cultures. Our study can only be read as illustrating the role of anticipated regret in the transition from latent to nascent entrepreneurship in Finland, and consequently, cross-cultural studies would be required to better understand the interplay of anticipated regret, cognition and behaviour in the broader entrepreneurship context.…”

Age Differences in the Experience of Regret in Japan: Commission Versus Omission in the Interpersonal and Self-Domains

“…Supporting this proposition, recent cultural comparisons (e.g., Chen et al, 2006;Komiya et al, 2011;Zou et al, 2009) have shown cultural differences with regard to regret between East Asia (e.g., Japan and China) and the United States. For example, Komiya et al (2011) found that Japanese students felt stronger regret than Americans in interpersonal situations, whereas no differences emerged with respect to the intensity of regrets experienced in situations involving only the self.…”

“…Supporting this proposition, recent cultural comparisons (e.g., Chen et al, 2006;Komiya et al, 2011;Zou et al, 2009) have shown cultural differences with regard to regret between East Asia (e.g., Japan and China) and the United States. For example, Komiya et al (2011) found that Japanese students felt stronger regret than Americans in interpersonal situations, whereas no differences emerged with respect to the intensity of regrets experienced in situations involving only the self. Moreover, Chen et al (2006) discussed the possibility that Chinese individuals were more likely than Americans to feel regret over acts of commission in school and family settings, reflecting their motivation to meet familial obligations (e.g., Heine & Lehman, 1997;Heine, Lehman, Markus, & Kitayama, 1999).…”

“…During school, regret can center on not studying enough to get good grades; during marriage, regret can focus on choosing an inappropriate partner; and during illnesses, regret can revolve around not spending enough time with family. Although research on individual (e.g., Pierro et al, 2008;Roese et al, 2006) and cultural (Chen, Chiu, Roese, Tam, & Lau, 2006;Komiya, Miyamoto, Watabe, & Kusumi, 2011) differences with regard to regret has been conducted, little is known about age differences. This study discusses the effects of aging on regret in terms of the type and content of regret.…”

Locomotion (Empowering) and Assessment (Disempowering) Self-Regulatory Dimensions as a Function of Affective Profile in High School Students

“…Robinson et al [52] have postulated that NA functions as a 'defense' mechanism by either provoking a passive state wherein watchfulness and reticence are prioritized or, alternatively, that individuals applying high levels of "assessment" invest more effort on ruminating prior to choice and these deliberations induce worry and other feelings linked to NA. Individuals identified through behavioral inaction tend to express more regret [53] and experience a higher degree of NA [54] through inaction than if they had attempted, even persisted, towards a goal [50,55]. Excessive hesitancy may accompany the pursuance of an "assessment" approach to choice and decision-making leading to inaction and reducing the quality of preferences and decisions [56].…”