Abstract
Previous studies have shown that forgiveness is associated with the ability of self-control. However, whether self-control can modulate interpersonal forgiveness remains unclear. In the current study, we aimed to explore the relationship between self-control and the process of forgiveness using a behavioral measure of forgiveness during which participants distributed money between themselves and unknown others who had previously treated them fairly or unfairly in an adapted decision-making task. Seventy-two participants with low or high self-control were recruited based on their scores on the self-control scale (SCS). Results showed that participants exhibited increased anger and decreased happiness after experiencing unfair treatment. Participants with high self-control distributed more money to opponents who previously treated them unfairly compared with those with low self-control, whereas no such difference was observed to opponents who previously treated them fairly between the two groups. A significantly positive correlation was also found between the forgiveness rates and participants’ self-control scores. These findings suggest that self-control modulates interpersonal forgiveness responses. Individuals with high self-control expressed an increased prosocial response toward people who previously offended them, which is similar to the process of forgiveness.
Highlights
IntroductionSpecialty section: This article was submitted to Emotion Science, a section of the journal Frontiers in PsychologyReceived: 14 November 2019 Accepted: 28 February 2020 Published: 27 March 2020
Specialty section: This article was submitted to Emotion Science, a section of the journal Frontiers in PsychologyReceived: 14 November 2019 Accepted: 28 February 2020 Published: 27 March 2020Citation: Liu H and Li H (2020) Self-Control Modulates the Behavioral Response of Interpersonal Forgiveness
We aimed to explore the relationship between self-control and interpersonal forgiveness
Summary
Specialty section: This article was submitted to Emotion Science, a section of the journal Frontiers in PsychologyReceived: 14 November 2019 Accepted: 28 February 2020 Published: 27 March 2020. Psychological studies on forgiveness have been around for approximately 40 years; a consistent definition of forgiveness remains lacking (Berry et al, 2005; Worthington, 2007; Riek and Mania, 2012). Most researchers agree that interpersonal forgiveness is a transformation process of prosocial motivation (McCullough et al, 1997; McCullough, 2000), including the reduced motivation of retaliation and avoidance and increased benevolent motivation toward a transgressor (McCullough et al, 2000). McCullough’s definition of forgiveness was used and considered as a changing process of prosocial motivation during which individuals choose a prosocial approach (e.g., forgiveness, mercy, and reconciliation) toward a perpetrator instead of retaliation or avoidance (McCullough et al, 1997; Worthington and Wade, 1999)
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