Counterfactual Thinking - Deepstash
Counterfactual Thinking

Counterfactual Thinking

There are two types of counterfactual thinking: upward and downward counterfactual thinking.

  • Upward counterfactual thinking: it happens whenever we look back at a scenario and ask the "what if" questions in terms of how our life could have turned out better.
  • Downward counterfactual thinking: this is naturally the opposite of upward counterfactual thinking and it happens when we think about how things could have been worse.

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cartervx

My math book needs to commit suicide. It has way to many problems.

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The Impacts of Counterfactual Thinking

  • Upward counterfactual thinking is linked with depression.
  • Downward counterfactual thinkers use their negative feelings as their motivation to become productive and better their current situations.
  • Downward counterfactual thinking can improve romantic relationships, althoug...

Disappointed

We can ask ourselves five questions when faced with disappointment, that will help us to cope better with it:

  1. Why am I disappointed?
  2. What could I have done to prevent it?
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Backward Thinking

  • Whenever we try to achieve a goal, solve problems, predict what is likely to happen or likely to be true or false, we should think things through backwards.
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