Research Article
MEDIATION EFFECT OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TRAIT FORGIVENESS AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
Abstract
Interest in forgiveness has explored in recent
years as researchers and clinicians began to recognize its value for
maintaining emotional well-being, physical health, and healthy intimate
relationships. Individuals who tend to adopt forgiving rather than revengeful
strategies generally have less aggressive behaviours and better interpersonal
relationships with others. We hypothesized that an individual’s interpersonal
relationship could be predicted by his/her trait forgiveness and aggressive
behaviour. We tested this hypothesis using a survey, in which five hundred and
thirty-eight college students (195 males and 343 females) from five
universities in China were investigated with Trait Forgiveness Scale (TFS),
Interpersonal Disturbance Scale (IDS), Social-support Scale (SS) and Aggression
Questionnaire (AQ). Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were adopted
to analyse the data of survey in SPSS 21. Results indicated that (a)
significant gender differences existed in trait forgiveness, that is, trait
forgiveness of female students was significantly higher than that of male
students (t = -2.252, p< 0.05); (b) trait forgiveness
positively correlated with social support (r = 0.27，p< 0.001), and negatively correlated with interpersonal disturbance (r = -0.35，p< 0.001) and aggressive behaviours (r = -0.40，p< 0.001); (c) trait forgiveness was the best
predictor of interpersonal relationship; (d) aggressive behaviour served as a
partial mediator variable between trait forgiveness and interpersonal relationship.
These results imply that although trait forgiveness and aggressive behaviour
both affect an individual’s interpersonal relationship, the affecting paths
were different. Trait forgiveness may directly affect interpersonal
relationship, or indirectly through aggressive behaviour.
References
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Proactive and reactive aggression in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analysis of differential relations with psychosocial adjustment. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 30(5), 466-480. de Almeida, R. M., Cabral, J. C., & Narvaes, R. (2015). Behavioral, hormonal and neurobiological mechanisms of aggressive behavior in human and nonhuman primates. Physiology and Behavior, 143, 121-135. Ferguson, C. J., & Beaver, K. M. (2009). Natural born killers: The genetic origins of extreme violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 14(5), 286-294. Finkel, E. J., Rusbult, C. E., Kumashiro, M., & Hannon, P. A. (2002). Dealing with betrayal in close relationships: Does commitment promote forgiveness? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(6), 956-974. Hawley, P. H., Little, T. D., & Card, N. A. (2007). The Allure of a Mean Friend: Relationship Quality and Processes of Aggressive Adolescents with Prosocial Skills. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 31(2), 170-180. Karremans, J. C., Van Lange, P. A. M., Ouwerkerk, J. W., & Kluwer, E. S. (2003). When forgiving enhances psychological well-being: The role of interpersonal commitment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(5), 1011-1026. Li, X. (2011). Study on the forgiveness and its correlation with mental health among college students. Modern Preventive Medicine, 38(14), 2763-2766. Maio, G. R., Thomas, G., Fincham, F. D., & Carnelley, K. B. (2008). Unraveling the role of forgiveness in family relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(2), 307-319. McCullough, M. E. (2000). Forgiveness as Human Strength: Theory, Measurement, and Links to Well-Being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19(1), 43-43-55. McCullough, M. E., Pargament, K. I., & Thoresen, C. E. (2000). The Psychology of Forgiveness: History, Conceptual Issues, and Overview In M. E. McCullough, K. I. Pargament, & C. E. Thoresen (Eds.), Forgiveness: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Guilford Press. McCullough, M. E., Rachal, K. C., Sandage, S. J., Worthington, E. L., Brown, S. W., & Hight, T. L. (1998). Interpersonal forgiving in close relationships: II. Theoretical elaboration and measurement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(6), 1586-1603. McCullough, M. E., & Witvliet, C. V. O. (2002). The psychology of forgiveness. In C. R. E. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 446-455). New York: Oxford University Press. McCullough, M. E., Worthington, E. L., & Rachal, K. C. (1997). Interpersonal forgiving in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73(2), 321-336. McNulty, J. K. (2008). Forgiveness in marriage: Putting the benefits into context. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(1), 171-171-175. Sharpe, J. P., & Desai, S. (2001). The Revised Neo Personality Inventory and the MMPI-2 Psychopathology Five in the prediction of aggression. Personality & Individual Differences, 31(4), 505-518. Tse, W. S., & Yip, T. (2009). Relationship among dispositional forgiveness of others, interpersonal adjustment and psychological well-being: Implication for interpersonal theory of depression. Personality and Individual Differences, 46(3), 365-368. Wang, X., Wang, X., & Ma, H. (1999). Manual of Mental Health Rating Scale. Beijing: Chinese Mental Health Journal Publisher. Watkins, D. A., Hui, E.K., Luo, W., Regmi, M., Worthington, E. L., Hook, J. N., & Davis, D. E. (2011). Forgiveness and interpersonal relationships: a Nepalese investigation. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 151(2), 150-161. Wen, Z., Chang, L., Hau, K.-T., & Liu, H. (2004). Testing and application of the mediating effects. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 36(5), 614-620. Wen, Z., & Ye, B. (2014). Analyses of Mediating Effects: The Development of Methods and Models. Advances in Psychological Science, 22(5), 731-745. Yang, X. (2013). Study on the measurement, influencing factors and functions of trait forgiveness in college students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China. Yu, J. J., Lim, G. O., & Gamble, W. C. (2016). Big Five Personality Traits and Physical Aggression between Siblings in South Korea: an Actor-Partner Interdependence Analysis. Journal of Family Violence, 32(2), 1-11. Zheng, R. (1999). Psychological diagnosis of college students. Jinan: Shandong Education Press. Zimet, G. D., Powell, S. S., Farley, G. K., Werkman, S., & Berkoff, K. A. (1990). Psychometric characteristics of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 55(3-4), 610-617.
Year 2019,
, 702 - 708, 15.09.2019
Abstract
References
- Barlett, C. P., & Anderson, C. A. (2012). Direct and indirect relations between the Big 5 personality traits and aggressive and violent behavior. Personality and Individual Differences, 52(8), 870-875. Berry, J. W., Worthington, E. L., Parrott, L., O Connor, L. E., & Wade, N. G. (2001). Dispositional forgivingness: Development and construct validity of the Transgression Narrative Test of Forgivingness (TNTF). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(10), 1277-1290. Brose, L. A., Rye, M. S., Lutz-Zois, C., & Ross, S. R. (2005). Forgiveness and personality traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 39(1), 35-46. Brown, R. P. (2003). Measuring individual differences in the tendency to forgive: Construct validity and links with depression. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(6), 759-771. Buss, A. H., & Perry, M. (1992). The aggression questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63(3), 452-459. Card, N. A., & Little, T. D. (2006). Proactive and reactive aggression in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analysis of differential relations with psychosocial adjustment. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 30(5), 466-480. de Almeida, R. M., Cabral, J. C., & Narvaes, R. (2015). Behavioral, hormonal and neurobiological mechanisms of aggressive behavior in human and nonhuman primates. Physiology and Behavior, 143, 121-135. Ferguson, C. J., & Beaver, K. M. (2009). Natural born killers: The genetic origins of extreme violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 14(5), 286-294. Finkel, E. J., Rusbult, C. E., Kumashiro, M., & Hannon, P. A. (2002). Dealing with betrayal in close relationships: Does commitment promote forgiveness? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(6), 956-974. Hawley, P. H., Little, T. D., & Card, N. A. (2007). The Allure of a Mean Friend: Relationship Quality and Processes of Aggressive Adolescents with Prosocial Skills. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 31(2), 170-180. Karremans, J. C., Van Lange, P. A. M., Ouwerkerk, J. W., & Kluwer, E. S. (2003). When forgiving enhances psychological well-being: The role of interpersonal commitment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(5), 1011-1026. Li, X. (2011). Study on the forgiveness and its correlation with mental health among college students. Modern Preventive Medicine, 38(14), 2763-2766. Maio, G. R., Thomas, G., Fincham, F. D., & Carnelley, K. B. (2008). Unraveling the role of forgiveness in family relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(2), 307-319. McCullough, M. E. (2000). Forgiveness as Human Strength: Theory, Measurement, and Links to Well-Being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19(1), 43-43-55. McCullough, M. E., Pargament, K. I., & Thoresen, C. E. (2000). The Psychology of Forgiveness: History, Conceptual Issues, and Overview In M. E. McCullough, K. I. Pargament, & C. E. Thoresen (Eds.), Forgiveness: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Guilford Press. McCullough, M. E., Rachal, K. C., Sandage, S. J., Worthington, E. L., Brown, S. W., & Hight, T. L. (1998). Interpersonal forgiving in close relationships: II. Theoretical elaboration and measurement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(6), 1586-1603. McCullough, M. E., & Witvliet, C. V. O. (2002). The psychology of forgiveness. In C. R. E. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 446-455). New York: Oxford University Press. McCullough, M. E., Worthington, E. L., & Rachal, K. C. (1997). Interpersonal forgiving in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73(2), 321-336. McNulty, J. K. (2008). Forgiveness in marriage: Putting the benefits into context. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(1), 171-171-175. Sharpe, J. P., & Desai, S. (2001). The Revised Neo Personality Inventory and the MMPI-2 Psychopathology Five in the prediction of aggression. Personality & Individual Differences, 31(4), 505-518. Tse, W. S., & Yip, T. (2009). Relationship among dispositional forgiveness of others, interpersonal adjustment and psychological well-being: Implication for interpersonal theory of depression. Personality and Individual Differences, 46(3), 365-368. Wang, X., Wang, X., & Ma, H. (1999). Manual of Mental Health Rating Scale. Beijing: Chinese Mental Health Journal Publisher. Watkins, D. A., Hui, E.K., Luo, W., Regmi, M., Worthington, E. L., Hook, J. N., & Davis, D. E. (2011). Forgiveness and interpersonal relationships: a Nepalese investigation. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 151(2), 150-161. Wen, Z., Chang, L., Hau, K.-T., & Liu, H. (2004). Testing and application of the mediating effects. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 36(5), 614-620. Wen, Z., & Ye, B. (2014). Analyses of Mediating Effects: The Development of Methods and Models. Advances in Psychological Science, 22(5), 731-745. Yang, X. (2013). Study on the measurement, influencing factors and functions of trait forgiveness in college students. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China. Yu, J. J., Lim, G. O., & Gamble, W. C. (2016). Big Five Personality Traits and Physical Aggression between Siblings in South Korea: an Actor-Partner Interdependence Analysis. Journal of Family Violence, 32(2), 1-11. Zheng, R. (1999). Psychological diagnosis of college students. Jinan: Shandong Education Press. Zimet, G. D., Powell, S. S., Farley, G. K., Werkman, S., & Berkoff, K. A. (1990). Psychometric characteristics of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 55(3-4), 610-617.
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Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal Section | Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | September 15, 2019 |
| Submission Date | July 13, 2019 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2019 |
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