Motivated Recall and the “Rosy View” in Retrospective Evaluations

Academics and stand up comics alike have noted the sometimes extraordinary divergence of retrospective evaluations from an actual experience. Academics, for their part, have presented ample evidence for experiences ranging from spring break vacations (Kemp, Burt, & Furneaux, 2008; Wirtz, Kruger, Scollon, & Diener, 2003), trips to Disneyland (Sutton, 1992), and bike trips across California (Mitchell, Thompson, Peterson, & Cronk, 1997). For these experiences and others, the bulk of research suggests that changes in evaluations are directional; people have a “rosy view” of their past (Mitchell et al., 1997; Wirtz & Kruger, 2002). There are exceptions, however. Wirtz et al. (2003) reported an increase in negative affect from online to retrospective reports, although overall evaluations did improve. Anecdotally, people also exaggerate negative aspects of experiences, sacrificing accuracy for entertainment value. Any theory attempting to explain these shifting evaluations of vacations must account for how the fish you caught grows larger over time, the local food more savory, and the already staggeringly incompetent mountain guide even less adroit