Week 7 - Lecture 7 Flashcards
What is counterfactual thinking?
Imagining alternative outcomes for past events that did not occur but could have, leading to different present circumstances.
Example: “What if I had gone to bed earlier and not missed my exam?”
At what age do children begin developing counterfactual thinking?
Around 6 years of age.
Research: Harris et al. (1996); Rafetseder et al. (2013)
What type of reasoning do younger children (under 6) use instead of counterfactual thinking?
Basic conditional reasoning.
Example: “If I take off my shoes, the floor will not be dirty.”
Define regret in the context of counterfactual emotions.
Feelings of sadness or frustration when reflecting on a past event that could have been improved by different actions.
Example: Missing an exam because you stayed up too late and regretting that decision.
What is relief in counterfactual emotions?
A positive emotion experienced when reflecting on a negative event that could have been worse.
Example: Almost missing an exam but managing to wake up just in time.
At what age does the development of regret begin according to studies?
Around age 5.
Study: O’Connor et al. (2015); Weisberg & Beck (2010)
At what age do children typically start feeling relief?
Around age 7.
Study: O’Connor et al. (2015); Weisberg & Beck (2010)
How can regret and relief be measured in children?
By giving children a choice task with prizes and asking them how they feel about their chosen option after learning about the unchosen option.
What do counterfactual judgments in social contexts help children with?
Making pro-social judgments by identifying when others are experiencing regret or relief.
At what age do children begin to understand actions can be judged based on choices?
From age 6.
Study: Gautam et al. (2023)
What is episodic foresight?
The ability to mentally project oneself into the future and use this projection to guide current behavior.
Example: Realizing that staying up late will cause you to miss your next exam.
At what age do children begin developing episodic foresight?
Around 4 years of age.
Study: Suddendorf et al. (2011)
What does the functional theory of counterfactual thinking suggest?
Focusing on controllable events is more beneficial for improving future behavior than focusing on uncontrollable events.
At what age do children start focusing on controllable counterfactuals?
Around age 8.
Studies: Weisberg & Beck (2012); Jones et al. (2025)
How do cultural differences affect counterfactual judgments in children?
Children in individualistic cultures focus more on intentions behind actions, while those in collectivist cultures judge actions based on outcomes.
What are the key takeaways regarding the development of counterfactual thinking and emotions?
Children develop counterfactual thinking and emotions from around age 6, with future thinking emerging at age 4.
True or False: The ability to identify regret and relief in others is essential for making social judgments.
True.
How does episodic foresight help children?
It helps them plan for the future, guiding their behavior based on past experiences.
What is the developmental trajectory of counterfactual thinking?
It is complex, and children gradually learn to use counterfactual thinking to improve future behavior.
