When Choices Go Wrong: The Emotional Toll of Following or Breaking Rules

People often feel bad when things don't go as planned. This is especially true when they think about what could have been. But did you know that the emotions people feel depend on whether they followed the rules or broke them?

The Study

Researchers wanted to find out if regret and disappointment are linked to whether a decision follows the rules or not. They thought that breaking the rules would lead to more regret. This is because people might blame themselves more for not following the rules. On the other hand, following the rules might lead to more disappointment. This is because people expect better outcomes when they do what's expected.

The Findings

In five studies, participants read about different investment decisions. Some decisions followed the rules, while others did not. They were then asked to rate how much regret and disappointment the person in the story would feel. The results showed that:

• Breaking the rules led to more regret.
• Following the rules led to more disappointment.

However, the differences were not very big.

The Implications

Interestingly, the studies also found that breaking the rules generally leads to more negative emotions. This is true even when the outcome is the same. This suggests that our emotions are not just about the result. They are also about how we made our decisions.

The Takeaway

So, next time you feel bad about a decision, think about whether you followed the rules or not. It might help you understand why you feel the way you do.