Thanks skyrefuge for finding the goal of the research. Freaky.
Some of the so-called regret doesn't seems realistic at all. Like whether college students regret studying or partying during spring break; right after spring break, they wish they'd studied more, a year later, a lot fewer of them think they should have studied more, and when they are 40 years old, many wish they'd partied more. Sure, it's easy to get nostalgic and see college as a time one should have enjoyed oneself more when that time is long gone... but, really, if you'd partied more, would you have gotten the job you did out of college? Would you be satisfied enough with your life to show up at your college reunion when you are 40?
I think people misapprehend their own regret, and especially, their own potential regret, as in, the people being asked how much regret/little regret they would feel in 10 years time over the purchase of an indulgent, expensive clothing item today, caused them to purchase more indulgent, expensive stuff once they reached the mall. If it's true we tend to regret the things we didn't do more than the things we did do, in 10 years, those who did buy the indulgent clothing item are likely to regret not saving more for retirement. Those who didn't buy it, by the same token, might regret not purchasing it (though, in reality, I find it hard to believe there would actually be much regret over not buying an indulgent clothing item).