Shame, guilt, and forgiveness: The relationship between self-conscious emotions and the propensity to forgive.

摘要

The present research examined the impact of apology and nonverbal shame and guilt displays on the propensity to forgive. In a scenario study, 187 undergraduates imagined they were victims of a transgression where the transgressor displayed nonverbal shame or guilt behaviors. These displays were crossed with a verbal apology or no apology. Participants indicated degree of forgiveness for the transgressor. Overall, participants were unwilling to forgive the transgressor. Participants were more willing to forgive a transgressor expressing shame. There was an interaction between nonverbal display and apology. Participants expressed more confidence in their decision not to forgive when the transgressor displayed guilt behaviors when he apologized, than when he did not. These findings were moderated by individual differences. There were overall effects of gender, shame, guilt, and individualism-collectivism, but no effect of empathy on forgiveness. Explanations for these findings and possible moderators are discussed.