Older adults tend to report fewer recent regrets than younger adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. While people of different ages reported a similar number of long-term regrets, older adults experienced less anger and frustration when reflecting on past mistakes and missed opportunities. The findings suggest that both age and time influence how people emotionally process regret.
“Regrets are incredibly common. Almost all of us experience big regrets in our personal and professional lives – from marrying the wrong person to never finishing college,” says lead author Julia Nolte of Tilburg University. “The good news is that for many of us, the experience of regret seems to become less negative with age.” The study was published in the journal Emotion.
The researchers surveyed 90 U.S. adults between the ages of 21 and 89. Participants listed up to five recent regrets from the past year and five long-term regrets. They then described and rated their most significant recent and long-term regrets, including the emotions involved, how controllable the situations felt, and how they were coping with them. Older adults reported fewer and less emotionally intense recent regrets and were more likely to regret missed opportunities rather than wrong actions.
According to Nolte, more research is needed to understand why aging changes the experience of regret and whether some differences reflect generational experiences rather than age itself. Future studies may also examine whether regret serves different psychological purposes across the lifespan. “It is assumed that regret helps us make better choices moving forward,” Nolte says. “But older adults may derive other benefits from regret, such as a chance to reflect or look for meaning.”
More information: Julia Nolte et al, Adult age differences in the response to and regulation of recent versus long-term regrets, Emotion. DOI: 10.1037/emo0001672
Journal information: Emotion Provided by American Psychological Association
