Editorial: understanding the processes associated with forgiveness

Editorial on the Research Topic
Understanding the Processes Associated With Forgiveness

Introduction

There has been a rapid growth in research on forgiveness over the past two decades. Although researchers have not reached a consensus on the definition of forgiveness ( Worthington, 2020 ), there is general agreement that forgiveness is a changing process of prosocial motivation toward the transgressor, including changes in cognition, emotion, and motivation. Previous studies found that responding to offenses with forgiveness is associated with greater mental and physical health ( Davis et al., 2015 ; Toussaint et al., 2015 ). Greater forgiveness is related to less neuroticism, depression, and rumination ( Brown, 2003 ; Berry et al., 2005 ; McCullough et al., 2007 ), increased subjective well-being ( Toussaint and Friedman, 2009 ), and improved interpersonal relationships ( Riek and Mania, 2012 ). Individuals with lower levels of forgiveness also have higher levels of blood pressure, heart rate, and stress perception ( Lawler-Row et al., 2011 ). Our understanding of forgiveness has increased remarkably with the breadth and depth of scientific research into many aspects of forgiveness. However, the process of forgiveness remains unclear. Due to the complexity of forgiveness, more research is needed to explore the process of forgiveness and the factors that affect the process. This current Frontiers Research Topic, brings together 10 articles that illustrate these questions, examining the process of forgiveness from different perspectives.

Factors Affecting the Forgiveness Process

Brown, R. P. (2003). Measuring individual differences in the tendency to forgive: construct validity and links with depression. Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull. 29, 759–771. doi: 10. 1177/0146167203029006008

Cornish, M. A., Guyll, M., Wade, N. G., Lannin, D. G., Madon, S., and Chason, K. C. (2018). Does empathy promotion necessarily lead to greater forgiveness? Experimental examination . Curr. Psychol. 39, 1001–1011. doi: 10. 1007/s12144-018-9816-8

Davis, D. E., Ho, M. Y., Griffin, B. J., Bell, C., Hook, J. N., Van Tongeren, D. R., et al. (2015). Forgiving the self and physical and mental health correlates: a meta-analytic review. J. Counsel. Psychol. 62, 329–335. doi: 10. 1037/cou0000063

Donovan, L. A. N., and Priester, J. R. (2017). Exploring the psychological processes underlying interpersonal forgiveness: the superiority of motivated reasoning over empathy. J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 71, 16–30. doi: 10. 1016/j. jesp. 2017. 02. 005

Kimmes, J. G., and Durtschi, J. A. (2016). Forgiveness in romantic relationships: the roles of attachment, empathy, and attributions. J. Marital Family Ther. 42, 645–658. doi: 10. 1111/jmft. 12171

Lawler-Row, K. A., Hyatt-Edwards, L., Wuensch, K. L., and Karremans, J. C. (2011). Forgiveness and health: the role of attachment. Pers. Relations. 18, 170–183. doi: 10. 1111/j. 1475-6811. 2010. 01327. x

McCullough, M. E., Bono, G., and Root, L. M. (2007). Rumination, emotion, and forgiveness: three longitudinal studies. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 92, 490–505. doi: 10. 1037/0022-3514. 92. 3. 490

Riek, B. M., and Mania, E. W. (2012). The antecedents and consequences of interpersonal forgiveness: a meta-analytic review. Pers. Relations. 19, 304–325. doi: 10. 1111/j. 1475-6811. 2011. 01363. x

Toussaint, L., and Friedman, P. (2009). Forgiveness, gratitude, and well-being: the mediating role of affect and beliefs. J. Happiness Stud. 10, 635–654. doi: 10. 1007/s10902-008-9111-8

Toussaint, L. L., Worthington, E. L. Jr., and Williams, D. R. (eds.). (2015). Forgiveness and Health: Scientific Evidence and Theories Relating Forgiveness to Better Health. Dordrecht: Springer Science + Business. doi: 10. 1007/978-94-017-9993-5

Worthington, E. L. Jr. (2020). “ Understanding forgiveness of other people: definitions, theories, and processes,” in Handbook of Forgiveness , 2 nd Edn , eds E. L. Worthington Jr. and N. G. Wade (New York, NY: Routledge), 11–21. doi: 10. 4324/9781351123341-2