Gabriel and Jim were involved in a car accident and they both suffered a broken bone.Gabriel told Jim,"Hey at least we only broke a few bones - we could've died!" Jim's response to Gabriel was "Yes,but I'm now thinking about how I can be a better driver so that I never get in an accident again." Gabriel's statement reflects a(n)________ counterfactual and Jim's response reflects a(n)________ counterfactual.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Gabriel's statement reflects a downward counterfactual, which focuses on the fact that the outcome could have been worse (i.e. they could have died) but it wasn't. Jim's response reflects an upward counterfactual, which focuses on how the outcome could have been better (i.e. if he was a better driver, he could have avoided the accident) and how he can improve in the future to avoid similar negative outcomes.

Gabriel and Jim Were Involved in a Car Accident and They