Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Behavioural consequences of regret and disappointment in social bargaining games
Luis M F Martinez1, Marcel Zeelenberg, John B Rijsman
1Department of Social Psychology, Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, NL-5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands. L.Martinez@uvt.nl
Abstract:
Previous research on the role of negative emotions in social bargaining games has focused primarily on social emotions such as anger and guilt. In this article, we provide a test for behavioural differences between two prototypical decision-related negative emotions-regret and disappointment-in one-shot social dilemma games. Three experiments with two different emotion-induction procedures (autobiographical recall and imagined scenarios) and two different games (the ultimatum game and the 10-coin give-some game) revealed that regret increased prosocial behaviour, whereas disappointment decreased prosocial behaviour. These results extend previous findings concerning differences between regret and disappointment to interdependent (social) situations.
Related Concept Videos
Counterfactual Thinking
Timing and Consequences on Behavior
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant factor...
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Causes of Social Behavior II: Cognitive Processes
Social Facilitation
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
