Is collectivistic forgiveness different from individualistic forgiveness? Dispositional correlates of trait forgivingness in Canada and Japan.

Abstract

Trait forgivingness is associated with subjective well-being and positive health outcomes. However, researchers have argued recently that in collectivistic cultures, forgiveness is primarily determined by cultural norms that value social harmony and the forgivers' dispositions are less important than in individualistic cultures. The present study tested whether 18 dispositional variables, such as Big Five personality traits, would be more strongly correlated with trait forgivingness in Canada (an individualistic country) than in Japan (a collectivistic country). A series of tests of two independent correlations revealed that even without the p-value adjustment for multiple tests, only two of the 18 dispositional variables were more strongly correlated with trait forgivingness in Canada than in Japan. This result suggests that there is considerable similarity among dispositional correlates across the two countries. In both countries, trait forgivingness was correlated with similar dispositional variables, such as agreeableness, extraversion, and neuroticism.

Prestige Orientation and Reconciliation in the Workplace

“…In addition, the effect of gender was puzzling. Gender tended not to be significantly correlated with forgiveness and apology (when it was, the correlations were weak) in previous studies (e.g., Ohtsubo et al, 2019;Smith et al, 2020). Study 1 corroborated these previous findings: Gender was not associated with either apologetic behavior or forgiveness, regardless of whether the entire sample or subsamples were analyzed.…”

“…An intriguing question whether the reported pattern is unique to the Japanese sample. Although some scholars have pointed out possible cultural differences in conciliatory tendencies (e.g., Hook et al, 2009 ), there are studies reporting cross-cultural consistency (e.g., Ohtsubo et al, 2012 , 2019 ; Smith et al, 2020 ). If the dominance strategy is flexible (as we discussed above), it is reasonable to expect that the behavioral manifestation of the dominance strategy is more malleable due to the influence of cultural norms.…”

Resistance to the six elements of political apologies: Who opposes which elements?

“…As for trust and caution, Ohtsubo et al (2019) found that these variables were correlated with trait forgivingness at the interpersonal level. In the intergroup reconciliation context, trust in the other group is considered an important moderator variable of the effect of apologies on forgiveness (e.g., Hornsey & Wohl, 2013; Nadler & Liviatan, 2006).…”