CAT Exam  >  CAT Questions  >  The passage given below is followed by four a... Start Learning for Free
The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other people's beliefs, including their false beliefs.
  • a)
    Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.
  • b)
    People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other people's beliefs.
  • c)
    Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of one's developmental process.
  • d)
    Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choos...
  • The passage discusses the phenomenon of counterfactual thinking, highlighting that people spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons. These reasons include explaining the past, preparing for the future, implicating various relations (including causal ones), affecting emotions, and supporting moral judgments. Additionally, the passage mentions that the ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other people's beliefs. Option C effectively encompasses these key points, making it the most accurate summary of the passage.
  • Option A focuses primarily on the preparation for the future aspect, neglecting the broader reasons for creating counterfactual alternatives.
  • Option B does not emphasize the developmental aspect and various reasons for creating
  • Option D inaccurately suggests that counterfactual thinking helps reverse past and future actions, which is not the main point of the passage, and it oversimplifies the role of counterfactuals.
Free Test
Community Answer
The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choos...
Counterfactuals in Human Thinking
Understanding the concept of counterfactuals is crucial in comprehending human thinking and decision-making processes. Counterfactuals refer to the mental constructs people create when they ponder on "if only" or "what if" scenarios, imagining how the past could have unfolded differently.

Reasons for Creating Counterfactuals
- People generate counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, such as explaining past events, preparing for the future, implicating causal relationships, influencing emotions like regret and relief, and supporting moral judgments like blame.
- Counterfactual thinking also aids in understanding intentions, making decisions, and reasoning about other people's beliefs, including false beliefs.

Developmental Process
- The ability to create counterfactuals is not innate but develops throughout childhood. It plays a significant role in cognitive development and contributes to reasoning about other people's mental states, such as beliefs and intentions.
In conclusion, counterfactual thinking is a multifaceted cognitive process that influences various aspects of human cognition, emotion, and decision-making. It serves as a mechanism for understanding the past, preparing for the future, and navigating social interactions.
Attention CAT Students!
To make sure you are not studying endlessly, EduRev has designed CAT study material, with Structured Courses, Videos, & Test Series. Plus get personalized analysis, doubt solving and improvement plans to achieve a great score in CAT.
Explore Courses for CAT exam

Top Courses for CAT

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for CAT 2024 is part of CAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the CAT exam syllabus. Information about The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for CAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for CAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for CAT Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.People spontaneously create counterfactual alternatives to reality when they think “if only” or “what if” and imagine how the past could have been different. The mind computes counterfactuals for many reasons. Counterfactuals explain the past and prepare for the future, they implicate various relations including causal ones, and they affect intentions and decisions. They modulate emotions such as regret and relief, and they support moral judgments such as blame. The ability to create counterfactuals develops throughout childhood and contributes to reasoning about other peoples beliefs, including their false beliefs.a)Counterfactuals help people to prepare for the future by understanding intentions and making decisions.b)People create counterfactual alternatives to reality for various reasons, including reasoning about other peoples beliefs.c)Counterfactual alternatives to reality are created for a variety of reasons and is part of ones developmental process.d)Counterfactual thinking helps to reverse past and future actions and reason out false beliefs.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice CAT tests.
Explore Courses for CAT exam

Top Courses for CAT

Explore Courses
Signup for Free!
Signup to see your scores go up within 7 days! Learn & Practice with 1000+ FREE Notes, Videos & Tests.
10M+ students study on EduRev