Abstract: Recently, there has been a growing attention to the cognitive process of decisions. A small amount of research have examined the role of emotion on decision process, but they usually divided emotion into positive and negative, rarely examined the role of one certain emotion. Anticipated regret (abbr. AR) is an aversive emotion that people try to avoid, it is a function of predicted decision. Amount of research has examined the effects of AR on options decision makers choose. However past research has largely neglected to address the effects of AR on decision process. Although need for cognitive closure (abbr. NFCC) has been explored in variety decision domains and perceived had effects on decision process, its application to career decisions has yet to be examined. In this study, the mechanism of NFCC and AR on career decision process was discussed. According to the ways of AR priming, we conducted 2 separate experiments (experiment 1 with question priming, experiment 2 with results feedback priming) to examine the effects of NFCC and AR on career decision process. Methods combined measurement and experimental, a total of 411 junior students (experiment 1 with 205, experiment 2 with 206) were investigated. First, we measured the students’ NFCC level by using NFCC scale. Second, we selected subjects scored the top 27% as high NFCC group, scored the lowest 27% as low NFCC group. At last, after an interval of 4 weeks, both high and low NFCC groups completed career decision tasks by using Information Display Board (IDB ) technology on computer. Take 2 (high NFC, low NFCC) × 2 (no AR priming, AR priming) of two-factors of between-subjects design, we examined the effects of NFCC and AR on college students' career decision process. The results and conclusions are as follows:(1) There are significant differences between high and low NFCC students on career decision process. High (compared with low) NFCC students’ decision time was shorter, career information search number was less, search depth was lower and search patterns was less alternative-based. High NFCC individuals significantly made less cognitive efforts than low ones.(2) AR had significantly effects on career decision process. Students under AR (compared with no AR) priming condition their decision time was longer, career information search number was more, search depth was higher. AR caused individuals to be more cautious during decision process.(3) There were interaction effects between NFCC and AR on decision progress. High NFCC students under the condition of AR priming (compared with condition of no AR priming) their decision time was longer, career information search number was more, search depth was higher. No significant differences were found between students with low NFCC groups. AR could effectively buffer the cognitive closure process of high NFCC individuals.

Key words: need for cognitive closure, anticipated regret, career decision-making process

摘要： 本研究旨在探讨认知闭合需要（NFCC）与预期后悔（AR）对个体职业决策过程的影响。基于两种预期后悔启动方式，采用2（高NFCC，低NFCC） × 2（不启动AR，启动AR）的两因素被试间设计完成了两个单独实验。结果表明：（1）不同NFCC个体的职业决策过程存在显著差异，NFCC高的个体付出的认知努力更少；（2）预期后悔显著影响个体的职业决策过程，启动预期后悔条件下个体表现出更为谨慎的决策过程；（3）预期后悔能有效缓冲高NFCC个体的认知闭合过程。

关键词: 认知闭合需要, 预期后悔, 职业决策过程