Exploring the Psychological Processes That Underlie Interpersonal Forgiveness: Replication and Extension of the Model of Motivated Interpersonal Forgiveness

Abstract

When, why, and how does interpersonal forgiveness occur? These questions guided recent research that compared the relative abilities of empathy versus motivated reasoning models to account for the influence of relationship closeness on interpersonal forgiveness. Consistent support was provided for the Model of Motivated Interpersonal Forgiveness. This model hypothesizes that, following relationship transgressions, relationship closeness leads to a desire to maintain a relationship. Desire to maintain a relationship leads to motivated reasoning. And motivated reasoning fosters interpersonal forgiveness. The goal of the present research was to examine two concerns that emerged from the initial support for the Model of Motivated Interpersonal Forgiveness. First, were the measures of motivated reasoning and interpersonal forgiveness conflated, thus reducing the potential for empathy to account for interpersonal forgiveness? Second, did the analytic estimation used reduce the power to detect the mediational role of empathy? The present research examined these questions. When motivated reasoning was measured by thought listings (in addition to the original questionnaire items) and when the analytic estimation provided greater power, the Model of Motivated Interpersonal Forgiveness was replicated.

Forgiveness among Ghanaian children and early adolescents in the context of peer‐to‐peer dyads

“…A unique finding from this research is the influence of a societal culture of forgiveness on young adolescents' motivations to forgive regardless of the degree of closeness to the offender. This is different from the vast literature that supports the Model of Motivated Interpersonal Forgiveness (Donovan & Priester, 2020), which purports that closeness to an offender affects motivations to forgive.…”

Experience of forgiving in Indian marriages: a qualitative inquiry.

“…Rusbult et al (1991) mentioned that understanding a partner's behaviour and emotions is crucial in the maintenance of relationships. It allows a spouse to engage in 'positive illusion', where one may cognitively transform one's negative actions and portray them positively (Donovan & Priester, 2020). This finding was congruent with the experience of reconciliation in this study, participant's explained that reconciliation established a beneficial environment that eliminates negative emotions and resulted positively in other and future transgressions.…”

“…This finding was congruent with the experience of reconciliation in this study, participant's explained that reconciliation established a beneficial environment that eliminates negative emotions and resulted positively in other and future transgressions. According to Donovan and Priester (2020), the influence of relationship closeness on forgiveness is negotiated by a spouse's desire to maintain their relationship. Participants stated that they experienced forgiveness and reconciliation as a means to enable healthier relationships, improved mental health for both spouses, lesser anxiety, stress and hostility, and improved health and self-esteem due to their need to maintain their marriage.…”

“…Accomplishing another objective that the study stated in understanding the social influences in forgiving or not in Indian marriages. Humans are seen as social beings and exist through relationships with others, that fit part of society (Aristotle (350 BCE); Aronson & Aronson, 2018;Donovan & Priester, 2020). Spouses that have reported an influence have so through the advice and gossip through colleagues and friends in either motivating each to forgive or not.…”