What is it about?
Our study compares the effects of aging and time passing on the experience of major life regrets that either occurred within the last year (recent regrets) or at any point before that (long-term regrets). We had expected age groups to differ more with respect to long-term than recent regrets but this was not the case. For both recent and long-term regrets, compared to younger adults, older adults reported feeling less intense 'hot' emotions such as anger and more 'ommission-based' regrets (regrets that arise from inaction). Older adults were less likely to downregulate feelings of (recent) regret by using strategies such as changing how they feel about their regretted decision or by trying to make better decisions. Several differences in long-term regrets between younger and older adults could be linked to older adults' cognitive abilities, but many differences in recent regrets could not be explained.
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Why is it important?
Existing research exploring how aging relates to regret often confound the aging process with the passing of time. Our findings show that age-related differences in long-term regrets, which reflect both time passing and psychological aging processes, are often associated with cognitive age-related changes as well as other factors that differ between age groups (such as the perceived controllability of regrets, mental health, future time perspective). Although younger and older adults also show differences in recent regrets - for which aging processes are more relevant than time passing - we could not relate many of these differences to the covariates controlled for.
Perspectives
Because age-related differences in recent regrets could not be easily explained, more research is needed to explore which mechanisms drive such differences. In addition, it is necessary to consider so-called cohort effects: that the differences we are observing may be associated with generational differences rather than the aging process itself. Our research also does not evaluate which role regret plays for younger and older decision makers. It is often proposed that regret helps us avoid mistakes and make better decisions in the future. Because older adults feel they have less future time available to them, regret may serve a different function for them: For instance, it may offer a chance to reflect or search for meaning.
Julia Nolte
Tilburg University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Adult age differences in the response to and regulation of recent versus long-term regrets., Emotion, May 2026, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/emo0001672.
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