When Size Matters: Sensitivity to Missed Opportunity Size Increases With Stronger Assessment.

This research shows that the strength of assessment orientation, defined as the "aspect of self-regulation concerned with critically evaluating entities or states," increases a person's sensitivity to the size of a missed opportunity. Study 1 revealed that the experimental induction of an assessment orientation reduced the likelihood to act on a present offer after missing out on a large opportunity. Following a small missed opportunity, on the contrary, seizing the present offer was more likely.