Interpersonal forgiving in close relationships
01 Aug 1997-Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (American Psychological Association)-Vol. 73, Iss: 2, pp 321-336
TL;DR: Evidence is found consistent with the hypotheses that the relationship between receiving an apology from and forgiving one's offender is a function of increased empathy for the offender and that forgiving is uniquely related to conciliatory behavior and avoidance behavior toward the offending partner.
Abstract: Forgiving is a motivational transformation that inclines people to inhibit relationship-destructive responses and to behave constructively toward someone who has behaved destructively toward them. The authors describe a model of forgiveness based on the hypothesis that people forgive others to the extent that they experience empathy for them. Two studies investigated the empathy model of forgiveness. In Study 1, the authors developed measures of empathy and forgiveness. The authors found evidence consistent with the hypotheses that (a) the relationship between receiving an apology from and forgiving one's offender is a function of increased empathy for the offender and (b) that forgiving is uniquely related to conciliatory behavior and avoidance behavior toward the offending partner. In Study 2, the authors conducted an intervention in which empathy was manipulated to examine the empathy-forgiving relationship more closely. Results generally supported the conceptualization of forgiving as a motivational phenomenon and the empathy-forgiving link.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the psychometric properties of Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory-18 among an Iranian sample and found that TRIM-18 is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring forgiveness in adolescents and Iranian researchers and clinicians can use this instrument for therapeutic and research purposes.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory-18 among an Iranian sample. The instrument has been used and studied mainly on adult samples in different cultures. The current study seeks to expand the application of this questionnaire to include Iranian adolescents. A total of 412 students within from 13-to-18-year-old age range participated in this study. Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations, Anger Rumination Scale, Trait Forgiveness Scale, and Batson Empathy Adjectives were the data collection instruments used in this study. CFA and EFA were conducted for testing the factorial structure and its psychometric properties and reliability were examined. EFA revealed three factors and confirmatory factor analysis supported the model. The TRIM showed good internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alphas for the subscales ranged from .78 to .84 and .90 for the total. The convergent and divergent validity of the scale was indicated by significant relationships between its underlying dimensions with empathy, anger rumination, and trait forgiveness. The findings of this study showed that TRIM-18 is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring forgiveness in adolescents, and Iranian researchers and clinicians can use this instrument for therapeutic and research purposes.
5 citations
TL;DR: It is found that nonforgiving victims believe that other victims who forgive the common transgressor make their decisions to withhold forgiveness appear ungenerous, and 1 route by which forgiving victims can attenuate the social costs they face: they can affirm other victims' decisions to withheld forgiveness.
Abstract: A single transgressor sometimes harms more than just 1 victim. We examine a previously undocumented social cost of forgiving following these multiple-victim transgressions. We find that nonforgiving victims believe that other victims who forgive the common transgressor make their decisions to withhold forgiveness appear ungenerous. Faced with this threat, nonforgiving victims report that other forgiving (vs. nonforgiving) victims have overclaimed their standing to forgive the common transgressor and consequently perceive these forgiving victims as demonstrating a lack of benevolence toward them. Nonforgiving victims also perceive forgiving victims to have relatively little integrity. We test these social costs of forgiving in the field and in the lab across 7 studies plus a meta-analysis of 5 of those studies. We also identify 1 route by which forgiving victims can attenuate the social costs they face: they can affirm other victims' decisions to withhold forgiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
5 citations
01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: The authors explored the interplay between apologies and personal forgiveness in everyday circumstances to posit a functional view of interpersonal forgiveness in society and discussed the potential benefits that the commonplace practice of forgiveness can have on the resolution of social conflicts, relationship functioning in general, and the general health of society.
Abstract: Throughout history people have extolled the benefits ofinterpersonal forgiveness, and within the last two decades social scientists have uncovered many benefits, determinants, and applications of forgiveness. Though psychologists claim that the commonplace practice offorgiveness can prepare peoplefor extraordinary dilemmas offorgiveness, little research has focused on how forgiveness unfolds in everyday settings involving casual social relationships rather than close relation ships; and even less has pondered the implications commonplace forgiveness can have for social harmony and stability. Thus, this paper focuses on three studies that explore the interplay between apologies and forgiveness in commonplace circumstances to posit a functional view of interpersonal forgiveness in society. The first study examined forgiveness and apologies in the context of a staged conflict between two groups and produced evidence for leniency toward ingroup transgressors. The second two used hypothetical vignettes to examine differences in forgiveness and apologies between Sicily and the United States. Results are discussed in terms of the potential benefits that the commonplace practice of forgiveness can have on the resolution of social conflicts, relationship functioning in general, and the general health of society.
5 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors tested the dimensionality, reliability, and convergent validity of the Marital Offence-Specific Forgiveness Scale (MOFS) with a sample of 158 married Turkish couples.
Abstract: I tested the dimensionality, reliability, and convergent validity of the Marital Offence-Specific Forgiveness Scale (MOFS) with a sample of 158 married Turkish couples. The MOFS consists of 10 items used to elicit 2 dimensions, namely, resentment-avoidance and benevolence, and is designed to measure forgiveness regarding any offense, wrongdoing, or sin committed in a marital context. To test the factorial structure of the scale, confirmatory factor analysis was used. The psychometric features of the MOFS support its applicability to research conducted within the Turkish cultural context.
5 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: The authors found that expressing gratitude can be costly in competitive interactions: people infer that grateful counterparts are forgiving and, therefore, they are more likely to exploit their counterparts for selfish gain, leading to self-interested behavior.
Abstract: Previous research has revealed that expressing gratitude motivates prosocial behavior in cooperative relationships. However, expressing gratitude in competitive interactions may operate differently. Across five studies, we demonstrate that individuals interacting with grateful counterparts become more likely to engage in selfish behavior during competitive interactions. In Studies 1a and 1b, participants who interacted with counterparts expressing gratitude were more likely to make aggressive offers in distributive negotiations than those who interacted with counterparts expressing neutral emotion. In Study 2, we find that inferences of the tendency to forgive mediates the relationship between gratitude expression and selfish behavior. In Study 3, we contrast expressions of gratitude with another positive-valence emotion: excitement. We show that expressing gratitude promotes self-interested behavior compared to expressing excitement or neutral emotion. In Study 4, we find that gratitude expression triggers self-serving deception. Taken together, our findings suggest that expressing gratitude can be costly in competitive interactions: people infer that grateful counterparts are forgiving and, therefore, they are more likely to exploit their counterparts for selfish gain.
5 citations
Cites methods from "Interpersonal forgiving in close re..."
...Building on existing research, we adopt an interpersonal conceptualization of forgiveness (Bies, Barclay, Tripp, & Aquino, 2016; McCullough et al., 1998; Rusbult, Hannon, Stocker, & Finkel, 2005)....
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References
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TL;DR: Two 10-item mood scales that comprise the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) are developed and are shown to be highly internally consistent, largely uncorrelated, and stable at appropriate levels over a 2-month time period.
Abstract: In recent studies of the structure of affect, positive and negative affect have consistently emerged as two dominant and relatively independent dimensions. A number of mood scales have been created to measure these factors; however, many existing measures are inadequate, showing low reliability or poor convergent or discriminant validity. To fill the need for reliable and valid Positive Affect and Negative Affect scales that are also brief and easy to administer, we developed two 10-item mood scales that comprise the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The scales are shown to be highly internally consistent, largely uncorrelated, and stable at appropriate levels over a 2-month time period. Normative data and factorial and external evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for the scales are also presented.
34,482 citations
TL;DR: A new coefficient is proposed to summarize the relative reduction in the noncentrality parameters of two nested models and two estimators of the coefficient yield new normed (CFI) and nonnormed (FI) fit indexes.
Abstract: Normed and nonnormed fit indexes are frequently used as adjuncts to chi-square statistics for evaluating the fit of a structural model A drawback of existing indexes is that they estimate no known population parameters A new coefficient is proposed to summarize the relative reduction in the noncentrality parameters of two nested models Two estimators of the coefficient yield new normed (CFI) and nonnormed (FI) fit indexes CFI avoids the underestimation of fit often noted in small samples for Bentler and Bonett's (1980) normed fit index (NFI) FI is a linear function of Bentler and Bonett's non-normed fit index (NNFI) that avoids the extreme underestimation and overestimation often found in NNFI Asymptotically, CFI, FI, NFI, and a new index developed by Bollen are equivalent measures of comparative fit, whereas NNFI measures relative fit by comparing noncentrality per degree of freedom All of the indexes are generalized to permit use of Wald and Lagrange multiplier statistics An example illustrates the behavior of these indexes under conditions of correct specification and misspecification The new fit indexes perform very well at all sample sizes
21,588 citations
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01 Jan 1958TL;DR: The psychology of interpersonal relations as mentioned in this paper, The psychology in interpersonal relations, The Psychology of interpersonal relationships, کتابخانه دیجیتال و فن اطلاعات دانشگاه امام صادق(ع)
Abstract: The psychology of interpersonal relations , The psychology of interpersonal relations , کتابخانه دیجیتال و فن آوری اطلاعات دانشگاه امام صادق(ع)
15,254 citations
Additional excerpts
...Social psychologists have also addressed interpersonal forgiving from time to time (Darby & Schlenker, 1982; Gahagan & Tedeschi, 1968; Heider, 1958; Horai, Lindskold, Gahagan, & Tedeschi, 1969; Weiner, Graham, Peter, & Zmuidinas, 1991)....
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TL;DR: A scale of current subjective distress, related to a specific event, was based on a list of items composed of commonly reported experiences of intrusion and avoidance, and responses indicated that the scale had a useful degree of significance and homogeneity.
Abstract: Clinical, field, and experimental studies of response to potentially stressful life events give concordant findings: there is a general human tendency to undergo episodes of intrusive thinking and periods of avoidance. A scale of current subjective distress, related to a specific event, was based on a list of items composed of commonly reported experiences of intrusion and avoidance. Responses of 66 persons admitted to an outpatient clinic for the treatment of stress response syndromes indicated that the scale had a useful degree of significance and homogeneity. Empirical clusters supported the concept of subscores for intrusions and avoidance responses.
7,692 citations
TL;DR: The Dyadic Adjustment Scale as discussed by the authors is a measure for assessing the quality of marriage and other similar dyads, which is designed for use with either married or unmarried cohabiting couples.
Abstract: This study reports on the development of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, a new measure for assessing the quality of marriage and other similar dyads. The 32-item scale is designed for use with either married or unmarried cohabiting couples. Despite widespread criticisms of the concept of adjustment, the study proceeds from the pragmatic position that a new measure, which is theoretically grounded, relevant, valid, and highly reliable, is necessary since marital and dyadic adjustment continue to be researched. This factor analytic study tests a conceptual definition set forth in eariler work and suggests the existence of four empirically verified components of dyadic adjustment which can be used as subscales [dyadic satisfaction, dyadic cohesion, dyadic consensus and affectional expression]. Evidence is presented suggesting content, criterion-related, and construct validity. High scale reliability is reported. The possibility of item weighting is considered and endorsed as a potential measurement technique, but it not adopted for the present Dyadic Adjustment Scale. It is concluded that the Dyadic Adjustment Scale represents a significant improvement over other measures of marital adjustment, but a number of troublesome methodological issues remain for future research.
6,899 citations