AUTHOR=Kong Fanchang , Zhang Haibo , Xia Haishuo , Huang Bo , Qin Jingkuan , Zhang Yan , Sun Xiaojun , Zhou Zongkui 

TITLE=Why Do People With Self-Control Forgive Others Easily? The Role of Rumination and Anger

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00129

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00129

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<p>Previous research shows that self-control predicts forgiveness, but few studies have investigated the internal mechanism of this link. The current study explored the effects of rumination and anger on the relationship between self-control and forgiveness. A total of 580 college students recruited from three universities in Wuhan completed the self-control, rumination, anger, and trait forgiveness scales. Results showed that self-control was positively correlated with forgiveness (<italic>r</italic> = 0.34, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). Rumination (<italic>β</italic> = 0.08, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05) and anger (<italic>β</italic> = 0.13, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05) mediate the relationship between self-control and forgiveness. Moreover, a serial mediation effect of rumination and anger was observed between self-control and trait forgiveness (<italic>β</italic> = 0.02, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). These findings suggest that self-control may impair individuals’ rumination. Moreover, less rumination may restrain anger and consequently increase forgiveness.</p>