Summary: Regret is a universal emotion, but the way people experience and manage it changes with age. New research from the American Psychological Association finds that older adults report fewer recent regrets than younger adults and respond to long-term regrets with less anger and frustration. These findings suggest that aging brings a tempering effect: regret becomes less distressing and more a source of reflection and meaning.
The study distinguishes recent regrets (from the past year) from long-term regrets and shows that while the total number of long-term regrets is similar across ages, older adults experience those regrets with reduced emotional intensity. Aging appears to shift the function of regret from a corrective signal to a reflective process that helps people integrate their life stories.
Key Research Findings
- Frequency vs. Intensity: Across adults aged 21–89, older participants reported fewer recent regrets and described them with markedly lower emotional intensity.
- The “Missed Chance” Bias: Older adults were more likely to regret inaction—missed opportunities—than specific wrong actions.
- Emotional Resilience: Although younger and older adults carry a similar number of long-term regrets, older adults report less physiological and psychological friction when reflecting on them.
- Shift in Purpose: For younger adults, regret often functions as a motivator for future behavioral correction. For older adults, regret more often serves as a mechanism for reflection and meaning-making.
- Sense of Control: The perceived controllability of a regret—especially the ability to change how one feels about it—was a key factor in reduced negativity among older adults.
Source: APA
Older adults report fewer recent regrets than younger adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Researchers found that while long-term regrets are reported in similar numbers across age groups, older adults react to these regrets with less anger and frustration. The study highlights how both chronological age and the passage of time shape emotional responses to past decisions.
“Regrets are incredibly common. Almost all of us experience major regrets in our personal and professional lives—ranging from relationship choices to educational or career decisions,” says lead author Julia Nolte, PhD, of Tilburg University. “The encouraging finding is that many people’s experience of regret seems to become less negative as they grow older.”
The research appears in the journal Emotion.
In this study, 90 U.S. adults aged 21 to 89 reported up to five recent regrets (from the past year) and up to five long-term regrets. Participants then focused on their most significant recent regret and their most significant long-term regret, providing detailed descriptions and ratings for each.
Participants evaluated each regret for factors such as time since the event, emotional reactions, and perceived controllability—whether they felt able to change the decision or their feelings about it. They also described coping strategies and how they might respond in similar future situations.
Results showed that older adults listed fewer recent regrets and described them as less emotionally intense. Older participants also tended to regret omissions—opportunities they did not take—more often than actions they took and later regretted.
The authors note that further research is needed to determine whether these age-related differences stem from the aging process itself or from generational and cultural differences in how regret is experienced and expressed. Additional work should also examine whether regret serves the same psychological purposes across life stages.
“Regret is often assumed to help us make better choices moving forward,” Dr. Nolte adds. “But for older adults, regret may increasingly provide a chance to reflect on life and to find meaning in past experiences.”
Key Questions Answered:
A: This pattern is often called the inaction effect. Over time, people tend to rationalize or find positive reinterpretations for actions they took, while opportunities never pursued remain unknowns that invite “what if” thinking and romanticizing as people age.
A: This is an open question. The study suggests that aging brings improved emotional regulation, but it is also possible that cultural or generational differences in attitudes toward regret contribute to the pattern.
A: Yes. The research highlights the role of emotional controllability. By practicing strategies that change how they respond to past mistakes—focusing on meaning-making rather than rumination—younger adults can adopt an outlook similar to what is commonly seen in older adults.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- The journal paper was reviewed in full.
- Additional context was added by staff writers.
About this aging and psychology research news
Author: Lea Winerman
Source: APA
Contact: Lea Winerman – APA
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access. “Adult Age Differences in the Response to and Regulation of Recent Versus Long-term Regrets” by Nolte, J., Lewis, J. L., & Löckenhoff, C. E., published in Emotion.
DOI: 10.1037/emo0001672
Abstract
Adult Age Differences in the Response to and Regulation of Recent Versus Long-term Regrets
Previous studies on age-related differences in regret and its regulation have not consistently separated the effects of age from the effects of recency. To address this, the authors collected data from 90 U.S. adults (mean age = 49.81, SD = 18.71; 63% women) who reported their most severe recent and long-term regrets.
The study assessed present- and future-oriented regret regulation strategies—such as decision avoidance, decision alteration, and affect-based coping—while controlling for demographic, socioemotional, health, personality, and cognitive variables, including perceived control and future time perspective.
For recent regrets, older age correlated with fewer reported regrets, a greater tendency toward omissions rather than actions, and fewer interpersonal regrets. Older adults also relied less on affect-based strategies and on altering decisions for the future. For long-term regrets, older age was associated with regrets that were more distant in time, perceived as less controllable, more omission-based, and less likely to be downregulated.
Covariate analyses indicated that older adults’ lower perceived control over long-term regrets related to the prevalence of omission-based regrets, and a limited future time perspective related to fewer interpersonal regrets. Some age-related effects—especially those tied to long-term regrets—were associated with differences in cognition and affect, while many effects for recent regrets were not explained by the covariates.
Overall, the findings underscore the importance of distinguishing recent from long-term regrets when examining age differences in emotional responses.
The authors note that the sample lacked broad diversity, so results may not generalize to less-educated or non-White populations.