Regretted messages provide speakers an opportunity to learn. Whether learning occurs should depend upon how the incident is processed. This study had two objectives: (a) to determine how the goal a message conflicts with and seriousness influence the emotion(s) evoked; and (b) to determine which variables predict adoption of learning-oriented, repair-oriented, and emotion-focused reflection (dissonance reduction). Whether regretted messages evoked guilt, shame, sadness, anxiety, or fear depended on the goal(s) the message conflicted with. Learning-oriented reflection was best predicted by more intense sadness, fear/anxiety, or guilt. Whereas learning-oriented reflection was positively related to perceived learning, reducing dissonance was negatively related to perceived learning. (Contains 3 tables and 2 notes.)