To Forgive, or Not to Forgive, That is the Question: The Influence of Severity, Blameworthiness, and Commitment on Audiences’ Forgiveness of Media Figures

• In Event: The Study of Emotion and Entertainment Media

Abstract

The present study investigates whether severity, blameworthiness, and commitment can influence audiences’ forgiveness of media figures for their transgressions. Using 2 (severity: high vs. low) × 2 (blameworthiness: high vs. low) × 2 (commitment: high vs. low) mixed design, an experiment was conducted. Severity and blameworthiness were within-subjects factors and commitment was a between-subject factor. Two interaction effects emerged. Severity and blameworthiness had an interaction effect on forgiveness, and blameworthiness strengthens the effect of severity. Blameworthiness and commitment also had an interaction effect on forgiveness. When blameworthiness is high, the difference between the forgiveness of audiences’ favorite figures and the forgiveness of a figure they are less committed to is greater than the difference when blameworthiness is low. All three predictors had significant main effects on forgiveness. Severity of transgressions and blameworthiness of the media figures as perpetrators were negatively associated with forgiveness. Commitment to the PSR with the media figures was positively associated with forgiveness.

Authors

• Mu Hu, West Virginia Wesleyan College

• James Young, West Virginia Wesleyan College