TY - JOUR
T1 - Maintaining harmony across the globe
T2 - The cross-cultural association between closeness and interpersonal forgiveness
AU - Karremans, Johan C.
AU - Regalia, Camillo
AU - Paleari, F. Giorgia
AU - Fincham, Frank D.
AU - Cui, Ming
AU - Takada, Naomi
AU - Ohbuchi, Ken Ichi
AU - Terzino, Kari
AU - Cross, Susan E.
AU - Uskul, Ayse K.
PY - 2011/9
Y1 - 2011/9
N2 - Although previous research shows that relationship closeness plays a central role in an individual's willingness to forgive an offender, it is based exclusively on data from Western, individualistic cultures. In the current study, the authors examined the association between relationship closeness and forgiveness across six countries, including both traditionally individualistic- Italy, the Netherlands, the United States-and collectivistic cultures-Japan, China (and one country, Turkey, with both individualistic and collectivistic features). Results demonstrated that, cross-culturally, there was a robust positive association between closeness toward the offender and level of forgiveness, both for trait-forgiveness and offense-specific forgiveness. However, this association was weaker in the collectivistic countries, which may suggest that strong norms in these countries to maintain social harmony may partly weaken the role of closeness in forgiveness. Overall, the present findings are discussed in terms of the possible evolutionary origins of forgiveness and the role of individualism/collectivism in forgiveness.
AB - Although previous research shows that relationship closeness plays a central role in an individual's willingness to forgive an offender, it is based exclusively on data from Western, individualistic cultures. In the current study, the authors examined the association between relationship closeness and forgiveness across six countries, including both traditionally individualistic- Italy, the Netherlands, the United States-and collectivistic cultures-Japan, China (and one country, Turkey, with both individualistic and collectivistic features). Results demonstrated that, cross-culturally, there was a robust positive association between closeness toward the offender and level of forgiveness, both for trait-forgiveness and offense-specific forgiveness. However, this association was weaker in the collectivistic countries, which may suggest that strong norms in these countries to maintain social harmony may partly weaken the role of closeness in forgiveness. Overall, the present findings are discussed in terms of the possible evolutionary origins of forgiveness and the role of individualism/collectivism in forgiveness.
KW - Conflict
KW - Culture and cognition
KW - Evolutionary psychology
KW - Forgiveness
KW - Interpersonal relationships
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80051711269&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1177/1948550610396957
DO - 10.1177/1948550610396957
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80051711269
VL - 2
SP - 443
EP - 451
JO - Social Psychological and Personality Science
JF - Social Psychological and Personality Science
SN - 1948-5506
IS - 5
ER -