Abstract
Speculative thinking refers to thinking about past or future possibilities; it includes counterfactual thinking, prefactual thinking, and other types. In this narrative review, we discuss the traditional function of speculative thinking in improving future performance (i.e., the preparatory function). We also explore several non-preparatory functions of speculative thinking that have not been widely covered, namely the functions of conveying information and of supporting lying. In addition, we address temporal asymmetry; one perspective focuses on psychological distance in speculative thinking about the past and future, while another focuses on temporal asymmetry and reality/hypothetical differences in the preparatory function of speculative thinking. Overall, this review suggests that a broader functional theory is needed to address non-preparatory functions and the traditional preparatory function. Such a theory should cover all speculative thinking about the past and future rather than simply counterfactual thinking.
Highlights
In daily life, people often consider how things could have been different in the past and might be different in the future
We have explored the functions of speculative thinking from a broader perspective than the traditional functional theory and compared functions of speculative thinking about the past and future
We investigated temporal asymmetry in speculative thinking; one view focuses on psychological distance in speculative thinking about the past and future, and the other focuses on the temporal asymmetry and reality/hypothetical differences in the preparatory function of such thinking
Summary
Edited by: Thomas Kleinsorge, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Germany. Speculative thinking refers to thinking about past or future possibilities; it includes counterfactual thinking, prefactual thinking, and other types. In this narrative review, we discuss the traditional function of speculative thinking in improving future performance (i.e., the preparatory function). This review suggests that a broader functional theory is needed to address non-preparatory functions and the traditional preparatory function. Such a theory should cover all speculative thinking about the past and future rather than counterfactual thinking
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