Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Counterfactual Thinking01:19

Counterfactual Thinking

322
Counterfactual thinking is a cognitive process wherein individuals mentally reconstruct alternative versions of past events, often beginning with “what if” or “if only.” This reflective mechanism plays a significant role in shaping emotional experiences and guiding future behavior. Though typically triggered by unfavorable or unexpected outcomes, counterfactual thinking can also emerge in mundane, everyday decisions and experiences, revealing its deep entrenchment in...
322
Hindsight Biases01:12

Hindsight Biases

4.5K
Hindsight bias leads you to believe that the event you just experienced was predictable, even though it really wasn’t. In other words, you knew all along that things would turn out the way they did. Can you relate this to the phrase "Hindsight is 20/20" now? 
4.5K
Critical Thinking01:19

Critical Thinking

1.4K
Critical thinking involves reflective and productive thinking and the evaluation of evidence. Critical thinkers seek to understand the deeper meaning of ideas, question assumptions, and make independent decisions about what to believe or do. Scientists, for instance, are often critical thinkers. Critical thinking also requires humility about what we know and don't know and the motivation to look beyond the obvious. It is essential for effective problem-solving.
Colleges and universities are...
1.4K
Magical Thinking01:29

Magical Thinking

253
Magical thinking encompasses the belief in assumptions that defy logical reasoning yet appear intuitively convincing. It is a common psychological phenomenon that persists across various cultural and individual contexts. While these assumptions contradict empirical evidence and scientific laws, they often serve meaningful psychological roles in promoting emotional resilience and a sense of control, especially under stress or uncertainty.Thought-Action Fusion and the Law of SimilarityA key...
253
Cause and Effect01:53

Cause and Effect

12.6K
While variables are sometimes correlated because one does cause the other, it could also be that some other factor, a confounding variable, is actually causing the systematic movement in our variables of interest. For instance, as sales in ice cream increase, so does the overall rate of crime. Is it possible that indulging in your favorite flavor of ice cream could send you on a crime spree? Or, after committing crime do you think you might decide to treat yourself to a cone?
12.6K
Reason and Intuition01:37

Reason and Intuition

7.7K
The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the...
7.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Counterfactual thinking and Aging: the role of executive function.

Neuropsychology, development, and cognition. Section B, Aging, neuropsychology and cognition·2026
Same author

Unveiling memory's role in the hindsight bias: A relative accessibility account.

Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition·2026
Same author

Thinking together: How group argumentation boosts fake news recognition.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Causal reasoning guides visual exploration.

Experimental brain research·2026
Same author

Who knows what? Bayesian competence inference guides knowledge attribution and information search.

Cognition·2026
Same author

Get the unbalance right: asymmetric transfer effects in cognitive offloading.

Cognitive research: principles and implications·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal
06:45

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal

Published on: April 18, 2017

6.7K

Questioning the preparatory function of counterfactual thinking.

Hugo Mercier1, Jonathan J Rolison2, Marta Stragà3

  • 1Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS Université Lyon 1 UMR5304, 67 Bd Pinel, 69675, Bron, France. hugo.mercier@gmail.com.

Memory & Cognition
|October 21, 2016
PubMed
Summary

People often imagine alternative pasts, known as counterfactuals, but these may not always prepare for the future. Research suggests we focus on uncontrollable factors after failure, not controllable ones that could aid future success.

Keywords:
AdviceCounterfactualsPrefactualsPreparatory hypothesis

More Related Videos

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

6.6K
Exploring the Role of Deontic Reasoning and World Knowledge in Wason´s Selection Task
06:08

Exploring the Role of Deontic Reasoning and World Knowledge in Wason´s Selection Task

Published on: July 22, 2025

1.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal
06:45

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal

Published on: April 18, 2017

6.7K
The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

6.6K
Exploring the Role of Deontic Reasoning and World Knowledge in Wason´s Selection Task
06:08

Exploring the Role of Deontic Reasoning and World Knowledge in Wason´s Selection Task

Published on: July 22, 2025

1.1K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Counterfactual thinking involves mentally altering reality to explore what might have been.
  • The dominant theory posits that counterfactuals primarily serve to prepare for future actions and improve performance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of counterfactual thinking, specifically whether it predominantly serves a preparatory role for future performance.
  • To examine if individuals generate counterfactuals focusing on controllable or uncontrollable factors after success or failure.

Main Methods:

  • The study involved participants generating counterfactual statements after recalling failures or successes.
  • Experimental manipulations were used to assess the generation of controllable versus uncontrollable counterfactuals and prefactuals.

Main Results:

  • Participants tended to generate counterfactuals focusing on uncontrollable aspects of past events, particularly after failures.
  • Prefactuals, focusing on controllable future actions, were generated more readily than controllable counterfactuals.
  • The tendency to focus on uncontrollable counterfactuals persisted regardless of success or failure, and controllable counterfactuals were rare unless prompted.

Conclusions:

  • The findings challenge the dominant view that counterfactuals primarily serve a preparatory function.
  • The results suggest that counterfactual thinking may serve other functions, such as emotional regulation, rather than solely performance enhancement.