TY - JOUR
T1 - Toward the bigger picture
T2 - Concrete and abstract thinking about a transgression, and the role of time in interpersonal forgiveness
AU - Wenzel, Michael
AU - Coughlin, Anne Marie
PY - 2020/6
Y1 - 2020/6
N2 - Rumination is commonly considered detrimental to forgiveness. In contrast, we propose that different forms of post-transgression thinking are differentially effective for forgiveness, depending on their timing. Concrete thinking focuses on event details, whereas abstract thinking abstracts from details and views the event in a broader context. Following construal level theory, we propose that concrete thinking is increasingly ill-matched, and abstract thinking better matched, to the construal abilities and motivation afforded by psychological distance. Hence, over time, concrete thinking would be negatively, and abstract thinking positively, associated with forgiveness. Two correlational recall studies, with time since transgression measured (Study 1) or manipulated (Study 2), demonstrated that with greater temporal distance concrete thinking was more negatively, and abstract thinking more positively, related to forgiveness. Study 3 employed a prospective-longitudinal methodology over five time-points; intra-individual decrease in concrete thinking and increase in abstract thinking over time were related to higher levels of forgiveness.
AB - Rumination is commonly considered detrimental to forgiveness. In contrast, we propose that different forms of post-transgression thinking are differentially effective for forgiveness, depending on their timing. Concrete thinking focuses on event details, whereas abstract thinking abstracts from details and views the event in a broader context. Following construal level theory, we propose that concrete thinking is increasingly ill-matched, and abstract thinking better matched, to the construal abilities and motivation afforded by psychological distance. Hence, over time, concrete thinking would be negatively, and abstract thinking positively, associated with forgiveness. Two correlational recall studies, with time since transgression measured (Study 1) or manipulated (Study 2), demonstrated that with greater temporal distance concrete thinking was more negatively, and abstract thinking more positively, related to forgiveness. Study 3 employed a prospective-longitudinal methodology over five time-points; intra-individual decrease in concrete thinking and increase in abstract thinking over time were related to higher levels of forgiveness.
KW - abstract thinking
KW - concrete thinking
KW - construal level
KW - forgiveness
KW - rumination
KW - time
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085643176&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ejsp.2676
DO - 10.1002/ejsp.2676
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85085643176
SN - 0046-2772
VL - 50
SP - 783
EP - 798
JO - European Journal of Social Psychology
JF - European Journal of Social Psychology
IS - 4
ER -