Just world beliefs and forgiveness: The mediating role of implicit theories of relationships. (July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bartholomaeus, Jonathan; Strelan, Peter
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 96(2016)
• Page Start: 106
• Page End: 110
• Publication Date: 2016-07
• Subjects: BJW -- Just world beliefs -- Forgiveness -- Implicit theories of relationships -- Growth beliefs -- Destiny beliefs; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.02.081
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Abstract: The belief in a just world (BJW) influences how people navigate their relationships. BJW effects differ depending on the extent to which one's BJW is concerned with the self (BJW-self) and others (BJW-other). In this study ( N = 160) we replicated previous research showing that BJW-self encourages forgiveness operationalized as benevolence and extended it to show, for the first time, that BJW-self predicts decisional forgiveness but, unexpectedly, not emotional forgiveness. Conversely, BJW-other encourages negative responding. Most importantly, the study makes a new contribution to BJW theorizing by integrating principles from implicit theories of relationships. Mediation models indicated that BJW-self obtains its association with forgiveness through growth beliefs, whereas BJW-other is associated with negative responding via the agency of destiny beliefs. Highlights: Integrates implicit theories of relationships into the BJW framework First study to measure decisional and emotional forgiveness in relation to BJW Demonstrates that BJW-self predicts forgiveness indirectly through growth beliefs BJW-other predicts negative responding indirectly through destiny beliefs.