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Unforgiveness: Refining theory and measurement of an understudied construct
Author(s) -
Stackhouse Madelynn R. D.,
Jones Ross Rachel W.,
Boon Susan D.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1111/bjso.12226
Subject(s) - psychology , rumination , conceptualization , discriminant validity , interpersonal communication , construct (python library) , construct validity , scale (ratio) , forgiveness , social psychology , cognition , convergent validity , reliability (semiconductor) , developmental psychology , psychometrics , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , artificial intelligence , computer science , internal consistency , programming language
This research presents a multidimensional conceptualization of unforgiveness and the development and validation of the unforgiveness measure ( UFM ). The scale was developed based on a qualitative study of people's experiences of unforgiven interpersonal offences (Study 1). Three dimensions of unforgiveness emerged (Study 2): emotional‐ruminative unforgiveness, cognitive‐evaluative unforgiveness, and offender reconstrual. We supported the scale's factor structure, reliability, and validity (Study 3). We also established the convergent and discriminant validity of the UFM with measures of negative affect, rumination, forgiveness, cognitive reappraisal, and emotional suppression (Study 4). Together, our results suggest that the UFM can capture variability in victims’ unforgiving experiences in the aftermath of interpersonal transgressions. Implications for understanding the construct of unforgiveness and directions for future research are discussed.