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Related Experiment Videos

Mathematics of forgiveness.

Michelle Girard1, Etienne Mullet, Stacey Callahan

  • 1University of Nice.

The American Journal of Psychology
|September 12, 2002
PubMed
Summary

This study reveals that people use a summation rule, not an averaging rule, when integrating information to decide whether to forgive. This finding impacts how we understand forgiveness and the factors influencing it.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Understanding the cognitive processes behind forgiveness is crucial due to its significant implications for interpersonal relationships and well-being.
  • Distinguishing between summation and averaging integration rules is key, as each model has different practical consequences for how various factors influence forgiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine whether the forgiveness schema operates under a summation or averaging integration rule.
  • To investigate the practical implications of these different integration structures on factors influencing the propensity to forgive.

Main Methods:

  • Two experiments were conducted within the functional theory of cognition framework.
  • Experiment 1 utilized the missing information test.
  • Experiment 2 employed the credibility of information test.

Main Results:

  • Both experiments provided clear evidence favoring a summative integration rule for judging willingness to forgive.
  • This summative rule was observed when evaluating circumstantial information, including intent, apologies, and consequence cancellation.

Conclusions:

  • The findings strongly support a summative integration rule underlying the forgiveness schema.
  • This suggests that factors influencing forgiveness are additive rather than averaging, with consistent effects regardless of other information.

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