The main difference between remorse and regret is that remorse indicates a sense of responsibility for a situation that has gone wrong, whereas we can regret things beyond our control.
Both remorse and regret are negative emotions that indicate sadness about a past event or decision. Although these are similar emotions, there is a distinctive difference between remorse and regret.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Remorse
– Definition, Features
2. What is Regret
– Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Remorse and Regret
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Regret, Remorse
What is Remorse
Remorse is a feeling of sadness and being sorry for something one has done. It’s a distressing emotion felt by a person who regrets an action/actions they have committed in the past. A person who feels remorse often feels shame, guilt, and deep regret. It also involves self-directed resentment. Therefore, remorse might compel us to admit our own fault and make amends. We might express our remorse over an action through an apology, trying to repair the damage we have caused or even self-imposed punishments. It can also compel us to avoid repeating the hurtful action again.
Some people are incapable of remorse. However, people who are not capable of feeling remorse are diagnosed with an antisocial personality disorder.
What is Regret
Regret is a feeling of repentance, sadness, or disappointment over something. We usually feel regret when we wish we had made a different decision because the consequences of the decision we made were unfavorable to us. Regret can be over something we have done or failed to do. In other words, we feel regret over something we did or didn’t do or something we believe we should have or shouldn’t have done. After making the decision, the intensity of regret varies over time. Moreover, we usually relate regret to a perceived opportunity. Funnily enough, the more opportunities one has in life, the greater the chance for regret.
We often feel regret over bad career decisions, missed educational opportunities, missed romantic opportunities, failure to seize the moment, or rushing into something too soon. We also feel regret over things we can’t control. For example, you might regret someone’s death due to a natural disaster.
Difference Between Remorse and Regret
Definition
Remorse is a feeling of sadness and being sorry for something one has done, while regret is a feeling of sadness about a mistake one has made in the past or about something sad or wrong and a wish that life could have been different and better.
Culprit
We feel remorse over something we have done, whereas we can regret things beyond our control. In other words, remorse indicates a sense of responsibility for a situation that has gone wrong.
Feelings Associated
Remorse is associated with regret, shame, and guilt, whereas regret is associated with sadness, repentance, and disappointment.
Guilt
It’s not possible to feel remorse without feeling guilty, whereas we can regret something without feeling guilty.
Accepting Fault
When we feel remorse, we accept that something happened because of our fault, but in regret, we don’t necessarily have to accept our fault.
Conclusion
Remorse is a feeling of sadness and being sorry for something one has done, while regret is a feeling of sadness about a mistake one has made in the past or about something sad or wrong and a wish that life could have been different and better. The main difference between remorse and regret is that we feel remorse over something we have done, whereas we can regret things beyond our control.
Reference:
1. “Remorse.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. “Regret.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Sticky Note With Apology” (CC0) via Pexels
2. “Man in Black Shirt and Gray Denim Pants Sitting on Gray Padded Bench” (CC0) via Pexels
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