خود و باورهای عدالت دیگر، تکانشگری، نشخوار فکری، و بخشش: باورهای عدالت می تواند باعث پیشگیری و ترویج بخشش شود

Acts of forgiveness are linked to beliefs about justice. However, a largely unsettled issue is whether strong justice beliefs prevent or promote forgiveness. Moreover, researchers have yet to identify mechanisms that might explain both positive and negative links between justice beliefs and forgiveness. We examined whether forgiveness is differentially linked to beliefs about justice for the self (BJ-self) versus beliefs about justice for others (BJ-others). In addition, we examined whether these associations are mediated by impulsivity and rumination. Participants (N = 278) completed measures of justice beliefs for self and others, impulsivity, rumination, and forgiveness. Structural equation modeling strongly supported an indirect effects model in which BJ-self was positively associated with forgiveness while BJ-others was negatively associated, and in which these divergent relationships were fully mediated by impulsivity and rumination. This study contributes to the literature by clarifying the ways in which justice beliefs may both prevent and promote instances of forgiveness.

As an alternative to seeking revenge, individuals may overcome social conflict in more positive ways. One possible reaction is forgiveness. Psychological theory and research have defined forgiveness as the transformation of negative responses towards a transgressor to positive responses (McCullough, Worthington, & Rachal, 1997). Instead of retaliating, seeking punishment or demanding compensation, people who forgive respond to transgressors with benevolence and compassion. Forgiveness has recently received greater attention from investigators in the behavioral and social sciences (e.g., Exline, Worthington, Hill, & McCullough, 2003). In this relatively short time, much has been revealed about the potential health and social benefits of opting for forgiveness (e.g., Brown, 2003, McCullough et al., 2009 and Thompson et al., 2005) and also the antecedent individual differences and cognitive mediators of forgiveness processes (McCullough et al., 2009). Of present interest, research increasingly suggests that beliefs about justice are an important determinant of forgiveness (Exline et al., 2003 and Strelan and Covic, 2006). However, a largely unsettled issue is whether justice beliefs prevent or promote forgiveness (e.g., Karremans and Van Lange, 2005 and Strelan, 2007). Moreover, researchers have yet to identify mechanisms that might explain both positive and negative links between justice beliefs and forgiveness. In the present study, we distinguish between beliefs about justice for the self versus justice for others to clarify the ways in which justice beliefs can be both positively and negatively associated with forgiveness. Moreover, we suggest that unique relationships between self and other justice beliefs and forgiveness are mediated by similarly divergent associations with impulsivity and ruminative thinking.