Self-reported Forgiveness Research Articles

The Moderation Effects of Self-Construal Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Interpersonal Forgiveness.

Previous studies found an association between mindfulness and forgiveness. However, the effects of self-construal on this association are still unclear. In the present study, self-reported forgiveness and a behavioral measure of forgiveness were used to explore the moderating effect of self-construal plays between mindfulness and forgiveness among 126 participants recruited based on their mindfulness scores. Results showed that participants with high level of mindfulness in the interdependent self-construal condition reported greater forgiveness and gave more money donations towards transgressors than those in the independent self-construal condition, while there is no significant difference between interdependent and independent self-construal groups among participants with low level of mindfulness. These findings suggest that self-construal moderates the relationship between mindfulness and interpersonal forgiveness.

Interpersonal mindfulness and forgiveness: Examining the mediating roles of anger rumination and state anger.

Measuring mindfulness without accounting for specific contexts may lead to controversial results. This study attempted to examine whether the newly proposed construct of interpersonal mindfulness, mindfulness as it happens within the interpersonal context, was connected to forgiveness and the mechanisms behind this connection. Data were collected from 312 participants using measures of interpersonal mindfulness, trait mindfulness, anger rumination, state anger, self-reported forgiveness, and forgiving behavior. Results showed that interpersonal mindfulness was significantly associated with both self-reported forgiveness and forgiving behavior even while accounting for trait mindfulness. Mediation analysis revealed that anger rumination and state anger could mediate this link separately and sequentially, but only when trait mindfulness was uncontrolled. When controlling for trait mindfulness, the mediating role of state anger remained significant, but neither anger rumination nor the serial combination did. An alternative model was also supported, showing that after controlling for interpersonal mindfulness, trait mindfulness was indirectly associated with forgiveness through anger rumination and the serial mediating effect of anger rumination and state anger, but not state anger. These findings suggest that interpersonal mindfulness is more suitable for predicting interpersonal forgiveness than trait mindfulness. State anger may operate as a proximal mechanism in explaining how mindfulness relates to interpersonal forgiveness, whereas anger rumination may operate at a more distal level.

Interpersonal forgiveness in late childhood: Associations with peer status

Although the topic of forgiveness has been studied extensively among adults, little is known about the factors that are associated with children’s forgiveness. The current research addressed the question whether a child’s social status in the classroom is related to the tendency to forgive offending peers. We particularly focused on two types of status: preference and popularity. We ran one study with two samples among 9–13 year-old children (n = 577) who completed a sociometric instrument and a self-reported forgiveness measure. We found some initial support that preference, but not popularity, is positively associated with forgiveness, even after accounting for transgression-specific characteristics, such as friendship bond with the offender and perceived offense severity. We discuss the theoretical implications among these findings for both understanding children’s forgiveness, and the differential role of preference and popularity as social status indicators.

Does Empathy Promotion Necessarily Lead to Greater Forgiveness? An Experimental Examination

Empathy toward one’s offender has been identified as an important variable in the forgiveness process, but elements of the empathy—forgiveness connection have yet to be explored. The current study experimentally examined both direct and indirect methods of promoting general empathy (i.e., empathy not connected specifically to the offense) toward a confederate who behaved inconsiderately, and how those methods of general empathy promotion affected forgiveness. Results demonstrated that a direct method of promoting empathy (i.e., being instructed to empathize with the confederate) increased empathy toward the confederate, whereas an indirect method (i.e., the confederate’s display of emotional vulnerability) did not significantly increase empathy. The direct promotion of general empathy facilitated higher levels of self-reported forgiveness, whereas the indirect attempt to promote general empathy resulted in lower self-reported and behavioral forgiveness. The results help to refine our understanding of the empathy—forgiveness connection by questioning the types and forms of empathy that might be useful for promoting forgiveness.

The conceptualisation of forgiveness among Turkish children and adolescents.

This study examined (a) how Turkish children and adolescents define forgiveness, (b) the association between self-reported forgiveness and the concepts participants hold and (c) the association between self-reported forgiveness and age. Three hundred and sixty-seven Turkish children in primary (N = 220) and secondary schools (N = 147) were involved in the study. Participants were asked to define forgiveness, and the study used the Enright Forgiveness Inventory for Children (EFI-C). Participants' conceptions of forgiveness were categorised into four groups: conditional forgiveness, reconciliation, ignoring the hurtful event and affective reactions. Half of all the participants in the study were found to be in the conditional forgiveness category. Turkish children were found to be mostly in the category of conditional forgiveness, reconciliation and affective reactions compared with adolescents. Adolescents were mainly found to be in the ignoring the hurtful event category. The highest self-reported forgiveness mean was in the affective reactions category. Participants were commonly offended by friends, siblings, teachers and fathers. No correlation was found between self-reported forgiveness and age. The present results expand the literature of forgiveness by presenting evidence that Turkish children's and adolescents' understanding of forgiveness moderately relates to theoretical definitions.

Behavioral methods of assessing forgiveness

One problem in forgiveness research is the reliance on one method (i.e. having people recall an offense and complete self-report measures). Thus, we present two strategies for studying forgiveness-related behavior. First, we adapted the Cyberball paradigm, which is a game of toss where two computer players (ostensibly virtual players) exclude the participant from play. We adapted Cyberball to include a second round that gave participants the opportunity to retaliate or forgive the player who excluded them. Self-reported forgiveness predicted the first toss and total number of tosses to the offender in the subsequent round. Second, we had participants describe an offense (as is typical with the recall method), but then also complete an activity in which they listed as many positive qualities as they could about the offender. Self-reported forgiveness predicted the number of positive qualities listed. We discuss the contribution of these studies to the multimodal study of forgiveness.

Do actions speak louder than words? Differential effects of apology and restitution on behavioral and self-report measures of forgiveness

We built upon previous laboratory studies by examining the independent and interactive effects of restitution and apology on behavioral and self-reported measures relevant to forgiveness. Undergraduates (N = 155) received two of 10 tickets in a distribution. Some thought another participant was the distributor; others thought it was random. Later, some participants received restitution as nine tickets from the artificial participant, whereas others received nine tickets by chance. Some also received an apology. Participants then distributed 10 tickets to the artificial participant, the behavioral measure of forgiveness. Participants also self-reported forgiveness by rating the motivations underlying their distribution, including the motive, ‘to express forgiveness’. Results indicated restitution increased behavioral expressions of forgiveness, but apology increased self-reported forgiveness. The restitution effect was partially mediated by empathy and the desire to help the transgressor. This study underscores the importance of both restitution and apology and of using multiple measures of forgiveness.

Perceived transgressor agreeableness decreases cortisol response and increases forgiveness following recent interpersonal transgressions

Stress associated with interpersonal conflict can adversely impact mental and physical health—especially when it causes activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Among victims of interpersonal transgressions, certain personality characteristics (viz., neuroticism and agreeableness) have been associated in some studies with successful conflict resolution and decreased physiological activity. How victims’ perceptions of their transgressors’ personalities affect conflict resolution and physiological reactivity, however, has not been examined. Here, we examined the relationships of (a) victims’ agreeableness and neuroticism, and (b) victims’ perceptions of their transgressors’ agreeableness and neuroticism with plasma cortisol responses in women and (in a larger sample of men and women) forgiveness over time. Victims who perceived their transgressors as highly agreeable had (a) lower cortisol responses following a simulated speech to the transgressor, and (b) higher self-reported forgiveness, even after controlling for initial levels of forgiveness. Participants’ own agreeableness and neuroticism had negligible associations with cortisol response and forgiveness over time.

Relationship Between Forgiveness and Psychological and Physiological Indices in Cardiac Patients

Research suggests that forgiveness is associated with better psychological and physical health and in particular cardiovascular functioning. Despite these findings, most forgiveness studies involve healthy participants. The current study assessed the psychological and physiological correlates of forgiveness in individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD). Self-reported forgiveness, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and physiological data, including triglycerides, total cholesterol, high- (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, were obtained from 85 hospitalized CAD patients. Higher levels of forgiveness were associated with lower levels of anxiety (p < 0.05), depression (p < 0.01), and perceived stress (p < 0.005) as well as lower total cholesterol to HDL and LDL to HDL ratios (both at p < 0.05) after controlling for age and gender. The psychological indices did not mediate the relationship between forgiveness and cholesterol ratios. Results suggest that the psychological correlates of forgiveness are similar in cardiac patients and healthy individuals. Further, among cardiac patients, forgiveness may be associated with reduced risk for future cardiovascular events.

Mate Value Discrepancy as Predictor of Forgiveness and Jealousy in Romantic Relationships

Mate value discrepancy (MVD), the perceived difference in resource value between self and partner in romantic relationships, may impact both forgiveness and jealousy. One hundred seventy-nine participants rated their own and their partner's mate value, and self-reported forgiveness and jealousy. MVD was associated with forgiveness in romantic relationships in that the higher the value of one's mate in relation to self, the more likely an individual would forgive that partner's transgression. Similarly, MVD played a role with jealousy in that the higher the value of the partner, the more likely an individual experienced jealousy. Additionally, individuals were more likely to forgive transgressions when their partners had higher mate values than theirs, even when jealousy is experienced.

Can group interventions facilitate forgiveness of an ex-spouse? A randomized clinical trial.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of 2 versions of an 8-session forgiveness group intervention for divorced individuals. Participants (randomized, n=192; analyzed, n=149) were randomly assigned to a secular forgiveness condition, a religious forgiveness condition, or a no-intervention comparison condition. Measures of forgiveness and mental health were obtained at pretest, posttest, and 6-week follow-up. Participants in both intervention conditions increased significantly more than comparison participants on self-reported forgiveness of an ex-spouse and understanding of forgiveness. Participants in the secular condition showed a greater decrease in depressive symptoms than comparison participants. Intrinsic religiousness did not moderate intervention effects.

Forgiveness of an Ex-Spouse

This study examined the relationship between forgiveness of an ex-spouse and post-divorce adjustment. Participants (N = 199) were recruited from community singles organizations and church-based divorce recovery groups in several Midwestern cities. Forgiveness was related to several measures of mental health after controlling for the effects of demographic/background variables. Specifically, both Forgiveness (Absence of Negative) and Forgiveness (Presence of Positive) were positively correlated with Existential Well-Being. Forgiveness (Absence of Negative) predicted Existential Well-Being beyond Forgiveness (Presence of Positive) but not vice versa. Forgiveness (Absence of Negative) was also positively correlated with Religious Well-Being and negatively correlated with Depression, State Anger, and Trait Anger. The majority of participants believed that forgiveness of one's ex-spouse is important for emotional healing following a divorce. No differences were found between Protestants and Catholics regarding perceived importance of forgiveness or self-reported forgiveness of their ex-spouse. Religious affiliation moderated the relationship between Forgiveness (Presence of Positive) and Existential Well-Being. Study implications are discussed.