Definition
An episode triggered by counterfactual evaluation of one’s own choice, organizing learning, strategy updating, and decision recalibration.
Mechanism
Counterfactual comparator detects that an alternative choice would have produced a better outcome; decision-policy update system activates.
Trigger–Appraisal–Function
• Trigger: Counterfactual evaluation of one’s own choice (missed better option).
• Appraisal: “I chose wrong; I should have done otherwise.”
• Function: Update decision policy for future choices.
• Appraisal: “I chose wrong; I should have done otherwise.”
• Function: Update decision policy for future choices.
Observable Output
• Replaying alternatives; comparing outcomes; motivation to correct if possible.
• Learning orientation when adaptive; self-criticism when maladaptive.
• Corrective action attempts (undo/repair) if feasible.
• Somatic: sinking feeling; tension; brief agitation.
• Learning orientation when adaptive; self-criticism when maladaptive.
• Corrective action attempts (undo/repair) if feasible.
• Somatic: sinking feeling; tension; brief agitation.
Episode Profile
Onset: minutes–hours. Peak: spikes when comparing outcomes. Duration: hours (often brief to moderate). Recovery: eases with corrective action, acceptance, or learning integration. KEY METRIC: time spent replaying; decision update implemented.
Dysregulation Risk
Endless replay without policy update; sliding into shame when regret becomes self-attack.
Change Potential
Regulation Trainability = High. Susceptibility Shift = High (decision hygiene, reflection skills).
Empirical Anchor
Regret theory (Loomes & Sugden, 1982); counterfactual thinking (Roese, 1997); regret regulation (Zeelenberg & Pieters, 2007).
Citation
APA
Human Elements System. (2026). Regret (HES Passport E021, v2.0). hestable.com. https://hestable.com/passport/E021
BibTeX
@misc{hes_E021, author = {{Human Elements System}}, title = {{Regret}}, year = {2026}, note = {HES Passport E021, v2.0}, howpublished = {\url{https://hestable.com/passport/E021}} }
HES passports describe psychologically researched elements within the Human Elements System. This is a conceptual framework — not a diagnostic tool, clinical reference, or therapeutic guideline.