Promoting Forgiveness Among Co-Workers Following a Workplace Transgression: The Effects of Social Motivation Training

• Published in: Canadian journal of behavioural science 2005-10, Vol.37 (4), p.299-308
• Main Authors: Struthers, C. Ward, Dupuis, Réjeanne, Eaton, Judy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Employee Attitudes; Employee Interaction; Female; Forgiveness; Human; Intervention; Job Satisfaction; Male; Motivation; Motivation Training; Occupational psychology; Social Motivation; Training; Work environment; Working Conditions
• ISSN: 0008-400X; 1879-2669
• DOI: 10.1037/h0087264

Forgiveness is one construct that is beginning to demonstrate promise as a health and relationship promoter within the workplace. The primary aim of this research was to examine the effects of one psychological intervention (social motivational training) that was developed to promote forgiveness among co-workers. In the first of two studies, workers were randomly assigned to one of two intervention conditions (i.e., job satisfaction training, social motivational training). Participants read a vignette in which they were to imagine themselves as victims of a co-worker transgression. Judgments of responsibility and co-worker forgiveness were then measured at two intervals: before and after training. In Study 2, workers recounted an actual critical incident involving a co-worker transgression, completed a pretraining questionnaire measuring judgments of responsibility, self-image, and forgiveness, received either a one-on-one job satisfaction training or social motivational training session, and completed a post-training questionnaire. Results from both studies indicated that social motivational training enhanced participants' forgiveness of a hypothetical and actual co-worker. In addition, Study 2 showed an increase in workers' self-image following social motivational training, suggesting affirmation of the self as a possible mechanism for the effects of social motivational training on forgiveness. Le pardon est un concept qui semble de plus en plus prometteur comme moyen de favoriser la santé et les relations dans les milieux de travail. Le but principal de la présente recherche consistait à examiner les effets d'une intervention psychologique (formation sur la motivation sociale) qui a été élaborée dans le but d'encourager le pardon entre collègues. Dans la première étude, on a attribué au hasard aux travailleurs l'une des deux conditions de l'intervention (c.-à-d., formation sur la satisfaction professionnelle, formation sur la motivation sociale). Les participants ont lu un scénario qui les invitait à s'imaginer comme les victimes d'une transgression de la part d'un collègue. Par la suite, le jugement de responsabilité et la tendance relative au pardon ont été mesurés à deux moments précis, à savoir avant et après la formation. Dans la deuxième étude, les travailleurs ont raconté un incident réel marquant au cours duquel ils avaient été victimes d'une transgression de la part d'un collègue; avant la formation, ils ont rempli un questionnaire qui cherchai