The Situational Effects of Counterfactuals

From UCBerkeleyHaas:

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According to new research by management professors Laura Kray and Philip Tetlock, at the Haas School, UC Berkeley, counterfactual thinking — considering a turning point moment in the past and alternate universes had it not occurred — heightens ones perception of the moment as significant, and even fated. Armed with a sense that life may not be arbitrary, counterfactual thinkers, the study suggests, are more motivated and analytical in organizational settings.

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For a sample of related Situationst posts, see “The Situation of Regret,” “Why You Bought That,” and “Behavioral Economics and Policy.”