Do We Regret Group Actions More Than Group Inactions?

Abstract: Do we regret group actions more than group inactions? Examining this, we conducted three experiments focusing on the stalemate in the US Congress over Ukraine aid in 2024. We described this stalemate as having negative consequences and whether this was decided actively or passively. Although study-specific results showed a mixed pattern, exploratory integrative data analysis across the three experiments yielded a small action effect in group-based regret: People regretted the group’s action more than the group’s inaction. We discuss how these exploratory findings replicate the action effect in regret at the group level, why we should interpret these findings with some caution, and how the findings generate new questions for future research regarding the form and function of group-based regret.