Jennifer L. McCullough, School of Communication Studies, Andy J. Merolla, Shuangyue Zhang and Shaojing Sun, authored “How Do You Like Your Forgiveness? Communication Style Preferences and Effects” in Communication Studies, Kenneth Lachlan (Ed.), Vol. 68, Issue 5, (2017): 568-587.
Summary: According to the authors’ abstract, the two studies examined forgiveness recipients’ evaluations and responses to four styles of forgiveness-granting communication: engaging, de-emphasizing, conditional and suppressing. In the context of close friendships, Study 1 showed that the engaging style was highly preferred, while the suppressing and conditional styles were not. Study 2 suggested that engaging forgiveness was preferable because it effectively addressed personal needs and reduced uncertainty. Overall, the investigation sought to cast new light on the forgiveness-granting communication styles that best facilitate repair.
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