Higher Ruminative Tendency of Anger in Trust-Forgiveness Young Adults
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2011 International Conference on Social Science and Humanity IPEDR vol.5 (2011) © (2011) IACSIT Press, Singapore Higher Ruminative Tendency of Anger in Trust-Forgiveness Young Adults Jie Wu Tingting Miao Research Center of Psychology School of Design Fudan University The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shanghai, China Hong Kong, China [email protected] [email protected] Shijin Sun * Lulu Yu Department of Psychology Department of East Asian Studies Fudan University University of Alberta Shanghai, China Alberta, Canada [email protected] [email protected] Feng Wang Department of Applied Psychology East China Normal University Shanghai, China [email protected] Abstract—Objective: To examine the prediction that the view of group relations and social orders, trust has played the trust-forgiveness trait facilitates less interpersonal anger for key roles in the span of various intellectual disciplines and young adults. analysis levels with an effective intergroup collaboration emphasis [2]. Method: 453 participants were recruited from Mainland Rotter classically defined trust as “a generalized China, classified as trust-forgiveness (TF), trust-unforgiveness expectancy held by an individual that the word of another … (TU), mistrust-forgiveness (MF) and mistrusting-unforgiveness can be relied on” [3], followed by Moorman, Deshpande and (MU) through the Dyadic Trust Scale (DTS), The Tendency to Zaltman “Trust is defined as a willingness to rely on an Forgive Scale (TTF) and the Dissipation-Rumination Scale exchange partner in whom one has confidence” [4]. (DRS). Attempting to establish the conception of trust, Morgan and Result: Positive correlation was found between trust, Hunt further highlighted the importance of confidence forgiveness and rumination of anger. One-way ANOVA between partners with the emphasis on reliability and revealed significantly higher ruminative tendency in TF integrity and argued that act willingness is an implication in participants than TU, MF and MU. defining the trust concept [5]. In addition to the above views, trust is as well Conclusion: The findings indicated the association between conceptualized as the willingness to be vulnerable towards trusting-forgiveness trait and less angry thoughts, and partner’s action based on particular important expectation [1]. confirmed the interpersonal ruminator role of trusting- In addition, a confident expectation was suggested to be forgiveness trait. highly associated with the definition of trust by Lewicki, Mcallste, and Bies [2]. Obviously, previous incorporations of Keywords-trust; mistrust; forgiveness; unforgiveness; conceptualizing trust have common views on some key word rumination; anger like “Willingness”, “Confidence”, “Expectation” and “Partner”. In the current study, based on those classical I. INTRODUCTION definitions, trust is more likely to be accepted as a confident The past several decades have witnessed the expectation to beneficial outcome with the reliability and development and practice of trust and forgiveness theory. willingness towards risk between intergroup partners. Considering interdependence commonly involves in team Apart from trust, another relationship impact factor, working, it is inevitable that people need to depend others in forgiveness promoted by intergroup contact [6], has different ways for achieving their individual or established a core image that has reached a higher level more organizational goals [1]. On the other hand, based on the than literature, business or even politics. The word forgive used to be adopted by Greek scholars for presenting the meaning of letting it go as well as actively forgetting the past * Corresponding author. V1-511 wrongdoings and punishment [7]. The idea that forgiveness hostile responsive attitudes and generate a commitment to plays an important role in the maintenance and development the well-being of the offender. of interpersonal relationship or organizational collaboration There are important parallels between trust theory and as an effective adjustment factor is not a fresh thing [8]. forgiveness. Based on previous studies, the idea that trust For conceptualization of forgiveness, Novitz reproduced positively links to forgiveness is suggested. Both involve the model of forgiveness built based on emotional views in such constructs as communication, empathy, and emotion- which he insisted that forgiveness is a complex task, part of regulation and both involve a complex set of psychological which includes destabilizing negative emotions, and part of changes focused on the self and the other [7]. For instance, which involves coming to understand the wrongdoer’s intergroup individuals usually need to respond with empathy actions from the point of view, within the context of personal and overcome negative feelings like anger or anger in order life. He further indicated that what one forgives is not a to reduce conflicts [13]. Under risky or even threatening wrongful action but to forgive the person who is considered situations, both the processes of trust and forgiveness can be to be responsible and blamed for wrongdoings [9]. helpful for generating interpersonal solutions of reducing Apparently, forgiveness could be more likely to be a focus damage to mutual relationship. The concerns of individuals on the interpersonal relationship rather than a negative with sense of mistrust and unforgiveness may be controlled outcome. However, other researchers also argued that the by one’s negative emotions and thoughts. conceptualization of forgiveness should be a cautious In the current study, the relationship between trust- process to avoid trivializing sufferings [8]. Benefited from forgiveness trait and rumination of anger, participants was previous experienced research finds, forgiveness is inclined investigated. The correlation between trust, forgiveness and to be understood as a positive strategy towards to accept past rumination of anger was examined as well. wrongdoings by offenders with good expectation on future relationship in the present study. II. MATERIALS AND MTHODS It is commonly recognized that prior positive experience exhibits a greater degree of trust that prior negative A. Participants & Procedures experience [10]. When a complaint occurs or conflict rises, a A total of 453 normal healthy university students (age: trust relationship is supposed to facilitate the de-escalation of 19.1 ± 3.4; 281 females, 172 males) born in 14 different anger level or reduce the probability of anger. Accordingly, a provinces of mainland China were recruited from 8 peaceful situation constructed by rational thoughts or universities in Shanghai for the present study. They reported behaviors exhibited by intergroup parties is expected to a negative history of neurological and psychiatric problems. benefit the outcome (forgiveness) towards to the offender The experimental procedure was approved by the Research and activate the progress of re-trust building. As indicated by Ethics Committee of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. McLernon, Cairns, and Hewstone, trust is necessary for Informed consent was obtained for each subject prior to reaching forgiveness [8]. To place trust in all members in a commencement of the study. particular group is not easy but will definitely promote the The sample was of varying locations (30%, Shanghai; development of intergroup relations to be strong for facing 15%, Zhejiang; 14%, Jiangsu; 7%, Anhui; 7%, Henan; 6%, various conflicting issues. Guangdong; 5%, Shandong; 4%, Sichuan; 3%, Hunan; 3%, According to Burnette et al., forgiveness could be Hubei; 2%, Fujian; 2%, Liaoning; 1%, Hebei; 1%, Beijing). understood as the act of writing off a moral debt [7]. The To examine the relation between trust and forgivingness, and utterance, "I forgive you" presented as a way of releasing a more importantly, to investigate the effect of the trust- wrongdoer from moral indebtedness. Benefited from this forgiveness link on ruminating offensive or angry thoughts, understanding to forgiveness, the process of itself eventually participants were required to complete a battery of becomes the real matter of changing injured party’s attitudes questionnaires including measures of trusting, forgivingness towards the offenders. Apparently, the need for self- tendency and rumination of anger. All the scales were protection or self-defense may be reduced among people translated into Chinese for administration. Through cluster who have a sense of forgiveness [11]. People with more analysis, participants were respectively classified as the forgiveness are allowed to flexibly shift mental resources following four groups: trust-forgiveness (TF), trust- such as taking partners’ perspective or regulating anger [7]. unforgiveness (TU), mistrust-forgiveness (MF), and Thus, intergroup members with prior trust to each other will mistrust-unforgiveness (MU). react to past wrongdoings with less negative feelings such as anger or anger, toward the wrongdoer than do those B. Measuress classified as mistrust. The 8-item Dyadic Trust Scale (DTS), a seven-point Furthermore, It has been already indicated that hostile Likert scale to test perceptions of benevolence, honesty, reactive attitudes may be correspondingly reduced by sincerity, dependency, and fairness in relationships [14], was involved forgiveness which typically requires existing trust employed to examine the status of trust relationship among towards the offender [7]. Horsbrugh used to propose a young adults. Participants were respectively