If I knew then what I know now: Advice to my younger self. Issue 1 (2nd January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kowalski, Robin M.; McCord, Annie
• Is Part Of: Journal of social psychology. Volume 160:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2020-01-02
• Subjects: Advice -- regret -- self-discrepancy -- counterfactual thinking; Social psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Social -- Periodicals; Psychologie sociale -- Périodiques; Sociale psychologie; Electronic journals; 302.05
• DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2019.1609401
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4545

Abstract

ABSTRACT: If we could go back and give ourselves advice to keep from making a mistake, most of us would probably take that opportunity. Using self-discrepancy theory as a theoretical framework, US workers on Amazon's Mechanical Turk, who were at least 30 years of age, indicated in two studies what their advice to their younger selves would be, what pivotal event was influential for them, if they had regrets, and if following this advice would bring them closer to their ideal or ought self. Across both studies, most of the advice fell into the domains of relationships, education, and selfhood. Participants said following the advice would bring them more in line with their ideal than their ought self. Following the advice also led to more positive perceptions of the current self by the high school self. Ages at which pivotal events occurred provided strong support for the reminiscence bump.