Regret and disappointment differ in how they motivate future behavior, study finds.
Regret and disappointment are emotions felt when things don't turn out well after a decision. Some experts think they are different in how they are felt and affect decision-making. This study looked at how people experience regret and disappointment. People were asked to remember a time they felt intense regret or disappointment and describe their feelings, thoughts, actions, and motivations. The study found that regret and disappointment lead to different actions and motivations. This means these emotions can influence how we behave in the future.