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Hu_Dixie_D_Dissertation_8.15.2016.pdf (1.06 MB)

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Forgiveness from the Heart: A Psychophysiological Study

Hu, Dixie Doreen
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6367-5273
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1471276252

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Interpersonal forgiveness is a burgeoning area of research in psychology and has been linked to lower levels of depression and perseverative cognitive states such as rumination. As much of the extant research employs self-reported assessments of forgiveness, the aims of the present work are to test a novel operational definition of forgiveness using behavioral outcomes from economic games—specifically, the Ultimatum Game (UG) and Dictator Game (DG)—and to explore how such behavior corresponds with phasic heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), individual differences, and psychosocial variables. Participants (n = 89; age M = 19 years; 46% female) were instrumented with continuous electrocardiogram and were seated for a 5-minute resting baseline, a pre-post adaptation of the DG and UG with digital opponents, randomization to forgiveness or rumination imagery, and a 5-minute recovery period. Participants reported affective ratings as a manipulation check as well as questionnaires on state and trait forgiveness, hostility, and rumination. Forgiving behavior was operationalized as more generous monetary offers to previously unfair, provoking opponents (positive value for post- minus pre-manipulation DG offer). As hypothesized, individuals who imagined forgiving previously unfair, provoking opponents showed more behavioral forgiveness in their return offers and reported less negative affect compared to those instructed to ruminate. The Forgive group also showed reduced HR reactivity and increased HRV during imagery and when instantiating forgiveness behavior compared to the Ruminate group. Behavioral forgiveness was positively correlated with trait forgiveness and benevolence motivation, and negatively correlated with hostility, revenge motivation, and avoidance motivation. No individual differences by gender or baseline HRV emerged in forgiving behaviors, and no gender differences emerged in physiological responding; however, rumination surprisingly predicted forgiving behavior among men only. The results support the behavioral paradigm, corroborate a model of neurovisceral integration with respect to phasic HRV changes, and suggest that forgiving may recruit executive functions in parallel with emotion regulation processes. Forgiveness may proffer cardioprotective benefits via reduced cardiovascular reactivity, while attention to gender differences in the link between forgiveness and rumination is encouraged in future research and intervention.
Julian Thayer, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Ruchika Prakash, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Amelia Aldao, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
100 p.
Health; Psychobiology; Psychology; Social Psychology
Forgiveness; Behavior; Rumination; Heart Rate Variability; HRV; Ultimatum Game; Cardiovascular

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hu, D. D. (2016). Forgiveness from the Heart: A Psychophysiological Study [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1471276252

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hu, Dixie. Forgiveness from the Heart: A Psychophysiological Study. 2016. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1471276252.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hu, Dixie. "Forgiveness from the Heart: A Psychophysiological Study." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1471276252

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1471276252
964
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.