Abstract
In the present study we examined how expectancy violations theory (EVT) and the investment model (IM) work together to predict forgiveness and forgiving communication. Participants completed questionnaires before and following a relational transgression. Victims reported more forgiveness if they previously rated their relationship as high in quality, made greater relational investments, and perceived the transgression as less negative. Motivation to retaliate was associated with less investment and the perception that the partner had inflicted hurt intentionally. Distinct profiles of EVT and IM variables were related to each form of forgiving communication - nonverbal displays, explicit forgiveness, conditional forgiveness, discussion, and minimization - suggesting that an expectancy- investment theoretical framework is useful in predicting reactions to transgressions.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 801-823 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Journal of Social and Personal Relationships |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2010 |
Keywords
- communication
- expectancy violation theory
- forgiveness
- forgiving communication
- hurt
- investment model
- relational transgression
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology
- Communication
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Sociology and Political Science