Harming Others and Being Harmed: Attachment Style, Narrative Identity, and Transgression Open Access

Abstract

Most research on narratives of harm has examined narrators as agents of harm, meanwhile neglecting the possibility of the narrator as the recipient of the harm. However, within-person comparisons of transgressors and victims would bridge a wide gap in the literature on harming others and being harmed. Through an exploratory approach, the present study sought to address this gap, with the overall purpose being to investigate how college students narrate transgression experiences. Specifically, the present study asked two overarching questions: 1) how do narrators differentially described their own and others' experiences as both transgressors and victims; and 2) is there relationship between attachment style and narrative identity? Based on a sample of 198 undergraduate students, it was shown that transgressors and victims experienced harmful events in different ways, with emphasis on victim emotions and transgressor behaviors. It was also shown that, when the narrator perpetrated harm, attachment anxiety was inversely related to victim emotions. Overall, attention to behaviors and emotions in transgression narratives differed according to role in the event. Although narratives were self-focused, they also showed that narrators engaged in perspective taking and demonstrated empathy towards victims.

Table of Contents

Introduction…………………………......................1 Method..................................................15 Results..................................................18 Discussion..............................................20 References.............................................27 Appendices............................................31 Tables...................................................33

Figures..................................................37

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School	Emory College
Department	Psychology
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, General
Keyword	narrative identity transgression attachment style college students
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Fivush, Robyn, Emory University
Committee Members	Booker, Jordan A, Emory University Ludington, Zachary R, Emory University Barber, Jessica M, Emory University

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