每个人都会有遗憾,你最大的遗憾是什么?

No pattern emerged on the reasons for regret. Just as many respondents expressed regret for something they had done as those who felt regret for something they had not done. However, people whose regrets involved something they didn't do or a missed opportunity were more likely to hold on to the regret over time.
在造成遗憾的原因方面则未显现出特定模式。很多受访者为自己曾做过的事情表示悔恨，但也有很多人为自己没做过的事而懊悔。不过，那些因自己未做过什么事情，或为错失某个机会而后悔的人，更难将自己的遗憾抛诸脑后。

"The longer-ago regrets tend to focus on lost opportunities, things you could have done or should have done different," said Dr. Roese. "More recent regrets tend to focus on things you did do that you wish you could take back."
“多年前的憾事，往往跟错失的机会，跟你本应去做、或本应以不同的方式来处理的事情有关，”罗斯博士说，“而新近的憾事往往跟你确实做了，而你在后悔自己不应该去做的事情有关。”

Regrets tended to follow traditional gender roles, with women expressing more regrets about relationships and family issues, whereas men tended to focus on issues involving education, career and money. One in three men had regrets about work and career, compared with one in four women with similar regrets.
悔恨看来遵循着传统的性别角色，女性对感情与家事表达了较多的遗憾，而男性往往更在意教育、职业和金钱这类事情。每三个男人中，就有一个对工作或职业表达了遗憾，而每四个女人中，有一个对类似话题表示遗憾。

Regrets also varied by level of education. Those with less education felt regretful for their lack of education, whereas those with more education were more likely to cite a career-related regret.
悔恨还会因教育程度不同而有区别。受教育较少的人对自己读书不多而后悔，而教育程度较高的人则更有可能对跟职业有关的话题表示遗憾。

Dr. Roese notes that regret can be damaging to mental health when a person fixates or ruminates on the missed opportunity. However, regret, although painful, has the potential to refocus attention and improve decision making.
罗斯博士指出，如果一个人始终对错失的良机念念不忘、心生执念，这会对其心理健康产生不良影响。不过，悔恨虽说让人痛心，但同时也有让人重新找到关注点并改善决策能力的潜力。

"There are ways regret feels bad, but on average, regret is a helpful emotion," said Dr. Roese. "The most helpful way to experience regret is to feel it deeply, get over it quickly and move on and use it to push you to new behaviors that are going to be helpful."
“从某些角度来看，后悔让人感觉很不好，但总体来说，这是种有益的情绪，”罗斯说，“在体验后悔情绪时最有益的方式是，深深感受，然后迅速走出来、往前看，并且利用它驱策你进行有益的新举动。”