title: Counterfactual Thinking as a Scientific Method
creator: Wenzlhuemer, Roland
subject: ddc-900
subject: 900 Geography and history
description: Despite their alleged uselessness, we frequently encounter instances of counterfactual thinking in everyday-life situations. During the last two decades, psychologists  have examined this phenomenon and have been able to show that counterfactual thoughts about past (and, therefore, unchangeable) events can be useful for the thinker. This article retraces the effects of counterfactual thinking in everyday life and seeks to translate them into an academic context. Can counterfactuals produce similar analytical benefits in the sciences? And if so, what exactly are those benefits? After briefly examining the psychological aspects of counterfactual thinking, the article discusses its potential uses from a general scientific perspective before using counterfactual history as a concrete example. Eventually and for good measure, attention is drawn to the clear and present dangers associated with counterfactual thinking in an academic context.
publisher: Center for Historical Social Research
contributor: Wenzlhuemer, Roland
date: 2009
type: Book Section
type: info:eu-repo/semantics/bookPart
type: NonPeerReviewed
format: application/pdf
identifier: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserverhttps://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/19676/1/Wenzlhuemer_Counterfactual_thinking_as_a_scientific_2009.pdf
identifier: DOI:10.11588/heidok.00019676
identifier: urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-heidok-196768
identifier:   Wenzlhuemer, Roland  (2009) Counterfactual Thinking as a Scientific Method.  [Book Section]     
relation: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/19676/
rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights: http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/help/license_urhg.html
language: eng