Cause or Control?

Abstract

Studies of individual response to failure outcomes have focused on the cognitive processing of proximal experiences. This study examines reactions to failure experiences recalled from memory, employing a multimethod qualitative investigation of a diverse sample of women and men from business, the arts, and athletics. People’s memories of negative outcomes were found to trigger strong emotions, affecting sense-making and distorting reasoning. Interpreted from a personal control-avoidance theoretical framework, results indicate that when time is factored in, the illusion of control over the future proves a more compelling way of understanding our past failures than do evaluative judgments.