Psychology Codexery

Forgiveness

Intentional process of overcoming resentment toward an offender.

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Forgiveness

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Forgiveness, in a psychological sense, is the intentional and voluntary process of changing feelings and attitudes towards an offender and overcoming negative emotions like resentment.[1] Theorists differ on whether forgiveness also requires replacing negative emotions with positive attitudes or reconciling with the offender.[2] Forgiveness is distinct from condoning, excusing, pardoning, or forgetting an offense.[3]

Lazarus Appraisal Process forgiveness
Lazarus Appraisal Process forgiveness. Image: Gnomes · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Quick Facts

Field
  • Psychology
  • Philosophy
  • Religion
Key researchers
  • Dr. Robert Enright
  • Dr. Fred Luskin
  • Benoit Guillou
  • Joseph Butler
  • P. F. Strawson
Related concepts
  • Decisional forgiveness
  • emotional forgiveness
  • reconciliation
  • resentment

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

Dr. Fred Luskin of Stanford University presented evidence that forgiveness is a teachable skill with positive health effects.[4] Within the research literature, a single, agreed-upon psychological definition of forgiveness does not exist.[5] That forgiveness unfolds over time is a point of scholarly consensus, and various models of this process have been put forward.[5] According to a longitudinal investigation, individuals exhibiting higher levels of neuroticism, anger, and hostility were less inclined to forgive and more prone to seek vengeance two and a half years following an offense.[6]

A young woman implores her father's forgiveness, a piece of Wellcome
A young woman implores her father's forgiveness, a piece of Wellcome. Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Research indicates that those who practice forgiveness report greater happiness and better health compared to individuals who maintain resentment.[7] Sociologist Benoit Guillou, through his post-genocide research in Rwanda, documented the wide variety of interpretations that the word "forgiveness" carries.[8] Joseph Butler, a philosopher, characterized forgiveness as the process of conquering resentment and moral hatred.[9]

Forgiveness
Forgiveness. Image: scem.info · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What the research sources say

Psychologist Wanda Malcolm explains that forgiveness takes time because self-care, personal healing, and safety issues may need to be addressed first.[10][11] Malcolm warns that premature efforts to facilitate forgiveness may reinforce a client's belief that their pain must be suppressed.[10][11] Indirect forgiveness, which focuses on minimizing conflict through tactics like humor or eye contact, is less appropriate after severe incidents.[12][13] A 1988 Gallup survey of Americans revealed that while 94% considered forgiveness important, 85% felt they required external assistance to actually forgive.[14][15]

Oct 18 2011 (Day 352) "Forgiveness"
Oct 18 2011 (Day 352) "Forgiveness". Image: JamesInOregon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

According to that same Gallup poll, the sole effective method for facilitating forgiveness was the practice of "meditative prayer".[14][15] In dating relationships, compared to marriages, partners are less prone to admit to wrongdoing and more inclined to offer unconditional forgiveness.[16][17]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: North, "Exploring Forgiveness", University of Wisconsin, May 2001, p. 20–21}} (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "American Psychological Association. Forgiveness: A Sampling of Research Results.", 2006, p. 5–8; "What Is Forgiveness?", The Greater Good Science Center; Field, "'Forgiveness is a present to yourself as well': An intrapersonal model of forgiveness in victims of violent crime", International Review of Victimology, September 2013, p. 235–247; Wade, "Forgive and be free", Aeon, 14 August 2020 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "American Psychological Association. Forgiveness: A Sampling of Research Results.", 2006, p. 5–8; Rogers, "Client-Centered Therapy", Houghton-Mifflin, 1956 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Luskin, "Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health & Happiness", HarperOne, September 2003, p. 7–8 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Cordova, "Behavior Analysis of Forgiveness in Couples Therapy", IJBCT, 2006, p. 192 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Maltby, "Personality predictors of levels of forgiveness two and a half years after the transgression", Journal of Research in Personality, 2008, p. 1088–1094 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Forgiving", A Campaign for Forgiveness Research, 2006; vanOyen-Witvilet, "Granting Forgiveness or Harboring Grudges: Implications for Emotions, Physiology, and Health", Psychological Science, 2001, p. 117–23 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Guillou, "Le pardon est-il durable? Une enquête au Rwanda", 2014 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Newberry, "Joseph Butler on Forgiveness: A Presupposed Theory of Emotion", Journal of the History of Ideas, April 2001, p. 233–244; Strawson, "Freedom and Resentment", 9 May 1962 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Malcolm, "Women's Reflections on the Complexities of Forgiveness", Routledge, Oct 19, 2007, p. 275–291; Malcolm, "Women's Reflections on the Complexities of Forgiveness", Routledge, Oct 19, 2007, p. 275–291 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Open Library record, ISBN 9780415955058 ("Women's Reflections on the Complexities of Forgiveness"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
  12. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kelley, "An Investigation of Forgiveness-seeking Communication and Relational Outcomes", Communication Quarterly, 2005, p. 339–358 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  13. Douglas L. Kelley, "An Investigation of Forgiveness-seeking Communication and Relational Outcomes", Communication Quarterly (2005), doi:10.1080/01463370500101097. OpenAlex metadata CC0; paper not read. doi.org
  14. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Gorsuch, "Forgiveness: An exploratory factor analysis and its relationship to religious variables", Review of Religious Research, 1993, p. 351–363 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  15. Richard L. Gorsuch, "Forgiveness: An Exploratory Factor Analysis and Its Relationships to Religious Variables", Review of Religious Research (1993), doi:10.2307/3511971. OpenAlex metadata CC0; paper not read. doi.org
  16. Wikipedia, "Forgiveness" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sheldon, "Forgive and Forget: A Typology of Transgressions and Forgiveness Strategies in Married and Dating Relationships", Western Journal of Communication, 2019, p. 232–251; Fincham, "Forgiveness In Marriage: Current Status And Future Directions", Family Relations, 2006, p. 415–427 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  17. Frank D. Fincham, "Forgiveness in Marriage: Current Status and Future Directions", Family Relations (2006), doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2005.callf.x-i1. OpenAlex metadata CC0; paper not read. doi.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Forgiveness (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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