‘You Treated Me Like an Object, I Don’t Forgive You!’: The Effect of Dehumanization on Interpersonal Forgiveness from the Victim’s Perspective
Authors
Gennaro Pica
Emanuele Fino
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Pica, G., & Fino, E. (2022). ‘You Treated Me Like an Object, I Don’t Forgive You!’: The Effect of Dehumanization on Interpersonal Forgiveness from the Victim’s Perspective. International Journal of Psychological Research, 15(2), 77–84. https://doi.org/10.21500/20112084.5695
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The editorial board reserves the right of amendments deemed necessary in the application of the rules of publication.
To give up copyright, the authors allow that, International Journal of Psychological Research, distribute the work more broadly, check for the reuse by others and take care of the necessary procedures for the registration and administration of copyright; at the same time, our editorial board represents the interests of the author and allows authors to re-use his work in various forms. In response to the above, authors transfer copyright to the journal, International Journal of Psychological Research. This transfer does not imply other rights which are not those of authorship (for example those that concern about patents). Likewise, preserves the authors rights to use the work integral or partially in lectures, books and courses, as well as make copies for educational purposes. Finally, the authors may use freely the tables and figures in its future work, wherever make explicit reference to the previous publication in International Journal of Psychological Research. The assignment of copyright includes both virtual rights and forms of the article to allow the editorial to disseminate the work in the manner which it deems appropriate.
The editorial board reserves the right of amendments deemed necessary in the application of the rules of publication.
Abstract
Introduction. There is a gap in the literature on the impact of the perceptions of a victim of an offense upon their forgiveness towards the offender, particularly when those perceptions include dehumanization. Objectives. The present cross-sectional exploratory study aimed at examining whether the perceptions of being treated in a dehumanized fashion influences interpersonal forgiveness, avoidance, and revenge intentions of dehumanized victims towards the offender. Method. We recruited 149 individuals from the general population, who took part in an online task, consisting of remembering an offense they had been victim of and of a set of self-reported measures of dehumanization (uniqueness and nature), interpersonal forgiveness, avoidance, and revenge intentions. We used multiple linear regression to test the study’s hypotheses. Results. The perceived denial of the victims’ human uniqueness was not associated with the dependent variables, whereas the perceived denial of the victims’ human nature was significantly and negatively associated with interpersonal forgiveness and positively with avoidance and revenge intentions, after controlling for the effects of a set of known covariates. Conclusions. The results revealed a role for dehumanization (nature) in predicting the victims’ interpersonal forgiveness, avoidance, and revenge intentions. Implications for further research are discussed.
References
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Baumeister, R. F., DeWall, C. N., Ciarocco, N. J., & Twenge, J. M. (2005). Social exclusion impairs self-regulation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88 (4), 589–604. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.88.4.589
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497–529
Bono, G., McCullough, M. E., & Root, L. M. (2008). Forgiveness, feeling connected to others, and well-being: Two longitudinal studies. Personality and Social Psychological Bulletin, 34, 182–195. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167207310025
Brose, L., Rye, M., Lutz-Zois, C., & Ross, S. (2005). Forgiveness and personality traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.11.001
Eaton, J., Struthers, C. W., & Santelli, A. G. (2006). Dispositional and state forgiveness: The role of self esteem, need for structure, and narcissism. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 371–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.02.005
Fincham, F. D., & May, R. W. (2021). No type of forgiveness is an island: Divine forgiveness, self forgiveness and interpersonal forgiveness. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2021.1913643
Fisher, M. L., & Exline, J. J. (2006). Self-forgiveness versus excusing: The roles of remorse, effort, and acceptance of responsibility. Self and Identity, 5 (2), 127–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860600586123
Hall, J. H., & Fincham, F. D. (2005). Self-forgiveness: The stepchild of forgiveness research. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24 (5), 621–637. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2005.24.5.621
Haslam, N. (2006). Dehumanization: An Integrative Review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10 (3), 252–264. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr1003_4
Haslam, N., & Loughnan, S. (2014). Dehumanization and Infrahumanization. Annual Review of Psychology, 65 (1), 399–423. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115045
Karremans, J. C., & Lange, P. A. M. (2008). Forgiveness in personal relationships: Its malleability and powerful consequences. European Review of Social Psychology, 19, 202–241.
Karremans, J., Lange, P., Ouwerkerk, J., & Kluwer, E. (2003). When forgiving enhances psychological wellbeing: The role of interpersonal commitment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 1011–1026. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.1011
Kteily, N., Hodson, G., & Bruneau, E. (2016). They see us as less than human: Metadehumanization predicts intergroup conflict via reciprocal dehumanization. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 110 (3), 343–370. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000044
McCullough, M., Pargament, K., & Thoresen, C. (2000). The psychology of forgiveness: History, conceptual issues, and overview. In M. McCullough, K. Pargament, & C. Thoresen (Eds.), Forgiveness: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 1–14). Guilford.
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. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.75.6.1586
McCullough, S. J., Worthington, E. L., Jr., & Rachal, K. C. (1997). Interpersonal forgiving in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 321–336. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.73.2.321
McCullough, M. E., Root, L. M., & Cohen, A. D. (2006). Writing about the Benefits of Interpersonal Transgression Facilitates Forgiveness. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 887–897. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.74.5.887
Pica, G., Jaume, L. C., & Pierro, A. (2020). Let’s go forward, I forgive you! On motivational correlates of interpersonal forgiveness. Current Psychology, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01180-7
Pica, G., Milyavsky, M., Pierro, A., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2021). The epistemic bases of changes of opinion and choices: The joint effects of the need for cognitive closure, ascribed epistemic authority and quality of advice. European Journal of Social Psychology, 51 (4–5), 690–702. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2753
Pierro, A., Pica, G., Dentale, F., Gelfand, M., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2021). The unique role of regulatory mode orientations in implicit and explicit self-forgiveness. Social Psychology, 52 (1), 36–50. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000433
Pierro, A., Pica, G., Giannini, A. M., Higgins, E. T., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2018). “Letting myself go forward past wrongs”: How regulatory modes affect self-forgiveness. PLoS ONE, 13 (3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193357
Renger, D., Mommert, A., Renger, S., & Simon, B. (2016). When less equal is less human: Intragroup (dis)respect and the experience of being human. The Journal of Social Psychology, 156 (5), 553–563. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2015.1135865
Riek, B. M., & Mania, E. W. (2012). The antecedents and consequences of interpersonal forgiveness: A meta-analytic review. Personal Relationships, 19 (2), 304–325. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2011.01363.x
Scobie, E. D., & Scobie, G. E. W. (1998). Damaging events: The perceived need for forgiveness. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 28 (4), 373–402. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5914.00081
Wohl, M., DeShea, L., & Wahkinney, R. (2008). Looking Within: Measuring State Self-Forgiveness and Its Relationship to Psychological Well-Being. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 40, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1037/0008-400x.40.1.1.1
Worthington, E. L., Jr. (1998). The pyramid model of forgiveness: Some interdisciplinary speculations about unforgiveness and the promotion of forgiveness.
In E. L. J. Worthington (Ed.), Dimensions of forgiveness (pp. 107–138). Templeton Foundation Press.
Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2006). Forgiveness and reconciliation: Theory and application. Routledge.
Zhang, H., Chan, D. K. S., Xia, S., Tian, Y., & Zhu, J. (2017). Cognitive, emotional, and motivational consequences of dehumanization. Social Cognition, 35, 18–39. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.2017.35.1.18
Zhou, Y., Zhao, L., Yang, Y., & Liu, X. (2021). Influence of ego depletion on individual forgiveness in different interpersonal offence situations. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 2905. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.631466
Bastian, B., & Haslam, N. (2011). Experiencing Dehumanization: Cognitive and Emotional Effects of Everyday Dehumanization. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 33 (4), 295–303. https://doi.org/10.1080/01973533.2011.614132
Bastian, B., Jetten, J., & Haslam, N. (2014). An interpersonal perspective on dehumanization. In P. Bain, J. Vaes, & J. Leyens (Eds.), Humanness and dehumanization (pp. 205–224). Psychology Press.
Baumeister, R. F., DeWall, C. N., Ciarocco, N. J., & Twenge, J. M. (2005). Social exclusion impairs self-regulation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88 (4), 589–604. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.88.4.589
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497–529
Bono, G., McCullough, M. E., & Root, L. M. (2008). Forgiveness, feeling connected to others, and well-being: Two longitudinal studies. Personality and Social Psychological Bulletin, 34, 182–195. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167207310025
Brose, L., Rye, M., Lutz-Zois, C., & Ross, S. (2005). Forgiveness and personality traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.11.001
Eaton, J., Struthers, C. W., & Santelli, A. G. (2006). Dispositional and state forgiveness: The role of self esteem, need for structure, and narcissism. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 371–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.02.005
Fincham, F. D., & May, R. W. (2021). No type of forgiveness is an island: Divine forgiveness, self forgiveness and interpersonal forgiveness. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2021.1913643
Fisher, M. L., & Exline, J. J. (2006). Self-forgiveness versus excusing: The roles of remorse, effort, and acceptance of responsibility. Self and Identity, 5 (2), 127–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860600586123
Hall, J. H., & Fincham, F. D. (2005). Self-forgiveness: The stepchild of forgiveness research. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24 (5), 621–637. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2005.24.5.621
Haslam, N. (2006). Dehumanization: An Integrative Review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10 (3), 252–264. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr1003_4
Haslam, N., & Loughnan, S. (2014). Dehumanization and Infrahumanization. Annual Review of Psychology, 65 (1), 399–423. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115045
Karremans, J. C., & Lange, P. A. M. (2008). Forgiveness in personal relationships: Its malleability and powerful consequences. European Review of Social Psychology, 19, 202–241.
Karremans, J., Lange, P., Ouwerkerk, J., & Kluwer, E. (2003). When forgiving enhances psychological wellbeing: The role of interpersonal commitment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 1011–1026. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.1011
Kteily, N., Hodson, G., & Bruneau, E. (2016). They see us as less than human: Metadehumanization predicts intergroup conflict via reciprocal dehumanization. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 110 (3), 343–370. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000044
McCullough, M., Pargament, K., & Thoresen, C. (2000). The psychology of forgiveness: History, conceptual issues, and overview. In M. McCullough, K. Pargament, & C. Thoresen (Eds.), Forgiveness: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 1–14). Guilford.
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. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.75.6.1586
McCullough, S. J., Worthington, E. L., Jr., & Rachal, K. C. (1997). Interpersonal forgiving in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 321–336. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.73.2.321
McCullough, M. E., Root, L. M., & Cohen, A. D. (2006). Writing about the Benefits of Interpersonal Transgression Facilitates Forgiveness. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 887–897. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.74.5.887
Pica, G., Jaume, L. C., & Pierro, A. (2020). Let’s go forward, I forgive you! On motivational correlates of interpersonal forgiveness. Current Psychology, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01180-7
Pica, G., Milyavsky, M., Pierro, A., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2021). The epistemic bases of changes of opinion and choices: The joint effects of the need for cognitive closure, ascribed epistemic authority and quality of advice. European Journal of Social Psychology, 51 (4–5), 690–702. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2753
Pierro, A., Pica, G., Dentale, F., Gelfand, M., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2021). The unique role of regulatory mode orientations in implicit and explicit self-forgiveness. Social Psychology, 52 (1), 36–50. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000433
Pierro, A., Pica, G., Giannini, A. M., Higgins, E. T., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2018). “Letting myself go forward past wrongs”: How regulatory modes affect self-forgiveness. PLoS ONE, 13 (3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193357
Renger, D., Mommert, A., Renger, S., & Simon, B. (2016). When less equal is less human: Intragroup (dis)respect and the experience of being human. The Journal of Social Psychology, 156 (5), 553–563. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2015.1135865
Riek, B. M., & Mania, E. W. (2012). The antecedents and consequences of interpersonal forgiveness: A meta-analytic review. Personal Relationships, 19 (2), 304–325. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2011.01363.x
Scobie, E. D., & Scobie, G. E. W. (1998). Damaging events: The perceived need for forgiveness. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 28 (4), 373–402. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5914.00081
Wohl, M., DeShea, L., & Wahkinney, R. (2008). Looking Within: Measuring State Self-Forgiveness and Its Relationship to Psychological Well-Being. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 40, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1037/0008-400x.40.1.1.1
Worthington, E. L., Jr. (1998). The pyramid model of forgiveness: Some interdisciplinary speculations about unforgiveness and the promotion of forgiveness.
In E. L. J. Worthington (Ed.), Dimensions of forgiveness (pp. 107–138). Templeton Foundation Press.
Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2006). Forgiveness and reconciliation: Theory and application. Routledge.
Zhang, H., Chan, D. K. S., Xia, S., Tian, Y., & Zhu, J. (2017). Cognitive, emotional, and motivational consequences of dehumanization. Social Cognition, 35, 18–39. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.2017.35.1.18
Zhou, Y., Zhao, L., Yang, Y., & Liu, X. (2021). Influence of ego depletion on individual forgiveness in different interpersonal offence situations. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 2905. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.631466
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