Forgiving Sports Celebrities with Ethical Transgressions: The Role of Parasocial Relationships, Ethical Intent and Regulatory Focus Mindset

ABSTRACT

In three experiments, we show that a participant's parasocial relationship with a sports celebrity, ethical intent and regulatory focus orientation influence their forgiveness towards a celebrity's ethical transgression. First, people with a strong (vs. weak) positive parasocial relationship with a sports celebrity were more forgiving after a protective-intent motivated transgression, but were less forgiving after an acquisitive-intent motivated transgression. We then show promotion-focused individuals with a strong parasocial relationship in acquisitive-intent condition were more forgiving than prevention-focused individuals. Finally, even when subjects had a negative parasocial relationship with a celebrity, promotion-focused (vs. prevention-focused) individuals were more forgiving towards a protective intent-motivated transgression. Together, the results shed light on people's inclination to forgive sports celebrities that have committed ethical transgressions.

原谅体育名人的道德侵越:准社会关系角色, 道德意图和监管重点倾向

在三个实验中, 我们证明参与者与体育名人之间的准社会关系、道德意图和监管重点目标会对他们原谅名人的道德侵越有影响。 首先, 与体育名人之间存在强烈的 (相对于虚弱的) 积极的准社会关系的人, 对于出于保护意图的名人侵越行为更为宽容, 但对于出于获得意图的侵越行为则较不宽容。我们还证明, 与名人存在强烈准社会关系、有获得意图的促进定向者人群, 比预防定向者人群对名人行为更加宽容。最后, 即使调查对象与名人之间存在消极的准社会关系, 促进定向者 (相对于预防定向者) 人群也对于名人出于保护意图的侵越行为更为宽容。总之, 这些结果阐明了人们存在此倾向, 即原谅那些有道德侵越行为的体育名人。

KEYWORDS:

• Parasocial relationships
• self-regulatory orientation
• ethical intent
• celebrities
• ethical transgression

关键词:

• 准社会关系
• 自律目标
• 道德意图
• 名人
• 道德侵越

Acknowledgments

The author thanks Matthew Thomson, Stacey Baker, Chris Blocker, and Kelly Martin for their feedback and support on earlier versions of this manuscript. Authors would also like to thank the Summer Grant from Colorado State University in support of this research.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Colorado State University Summer Grant.

Notes on contributors

Seung Hwan (Mark) Lee

Seung Hwan (Mark) Lee (Ph.D., Western University, Canada) is an Associate Professor at the Ted Rogers School of Retail Management, Ryerson University in Canada. His research interests include dynamics of social networks.

Travis J. Simkins

Travis Simkins (Ph.D., University of Wyoming, U.S.) is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Management and Marketing at Arkansas State University. His research interests include sustainability and micromarketing.

Sean Luster

Sean Luster (MBA, Boise State University, U.S.) is a MBA graduate from Boise State University. His research interests span from sports and music.

Shahin Ahmed Chowdhury

Shahin A. Chowdhury (MScM Candidate, Ryerson University, Canada) is a master's student at Ryerson University. His research interests include visual perceptions of warmth and health communication.