What-If Analysis: Antecedents and Consequences Factors of Counterfactual Thinking

Abstract

The present study shows the relationship between counterfactual thinking and resilience, optimism, sense of coherence, hardiness, benign and malicious envy, rational and intuitive decision making, rumination. The sample for the study was 200 young adults (18-35 years). The assessment scales used for the present study were The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), Sense of Coherence Scale(SoC), A Short Hardiness scale, The Benign and Malicious envy scale(BeMaS), Rumination Revised Scale(RSS), Decision Making Questionnaire(DMQ), Counterfactual Thought for Negative Events Scale (CTNES) and Life-Orientation Revised Scale(LOT-R).Correlation and regression analysis was done using SPSS(20.0) software. The findings of the study showed a significant inverse correlation between counterfactual thinking and optimism whereas a significant direct correlation was observed between counterfactual thinking and resilience, sense of coherence, hardiness, benign and malicious envy, rational and intuitive decision making and rumination. It was also found that rational and intuitive decision making and rumination were the best predictor of counterfactual thoughts respectively. Keyword: Counterfactual Thinking, Resilience, Optimism, Sense Of Coherence, Hardiness, Benign And Malicious Envy, Rational And Intuitive Decision Making and Rumination