Measuring Intergroup Forgiveness: The Enright Group Forgiveness Inventory

Abstract

Until recently, researchers operationalized and measured the psychological construct of forgiveness at the individual, rather than the group, level. Social psychologists started applying forgiveness to groups and examining the role intergroup forgiveness may have in conflict resolution and peace efforts. Initial attempts to define and measure forgiveness at the group level either assumed individual and group capacities were the same, or insufficiently described what intergroup forgiveness meant. We developed a new measure of intergroup forgiveness, and a novel group administration process, that operationalized the construct in a philosophically coherent way. Our conceptualization of intergroup forgiveness was rooted in what groups, as opposed to the individuals who compose them, have the capacity to do. We collected data on the psychometric properties of the measure with 595 participants in three different geographic and cultural settings. We assessed the factor structure, internal consistency, and validity of the measure. We also assessed a novel group-based method of administering the measure to better understand the relationship between group based reports and self-reports of intergroup forgiveness. The factor structure of the measure was supported, and the measure had strong internal consistency, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. The group administration process revealed important group dynamics and was not statistically different than a standard self-report administration; this finding has important implications for research and practice.

COVID-19 related moral injury: Associations with pandemic-related perceived threat and risky and protective behaviors

“…However, moral injury from one's own actions or inactions was most strongly associated with how frequently a person engages in behaviors that increase risk for contracting COVID-19. Although longitudinal research is needed, intergroup and system level reconciliation ( Enright et al, 2020 ; Griffin et al, 2019a , Griffin et al, 2019b ) in addition to interventions focused on self-forgiveness may be needed to facilitate moral healing from this pandemic.…”

Expanding the cross‐cultural validity of the Enright Forgiveness Inventory short form

“…Participants in the United States and the Philippines completed the EFI‐30 in English while the participants in China and Saudi Arabia completed translated versions of the EFI‐30 in Mandarin and Arabic, respectively. To ensure the translated versions were good representations of the English version, a process of translation and back‐translation used in previous research on Enright's conceptualization of forgiveness was used in this study (Enright et al, 2020).…”

The Practice of Spiritual Criminology: A Non-Doing Companionship for Crime Desistance

“…Research stresses how forgiveness is effective in reducing anger, stress, and despair, and in increasing a deep sense of wellbeing (Baskin & Enright, 2004; Klatt & Enright, 2011; Menahem & Love, 2013) and personal coherence (Emmons, 2000). Enright’s studies on group forgiveness (Enright et al, 2016, 2020) demonstrate how a moral atmosphere that fosters group forgiveness transforms the attitudes of members in the group and accordingly recommend a moral atmosphere of love and compassion as a precondition to forgiveness.…”

“…Research stresses how forgiveness is effective in reducing anger, stress, and despair, and in increasing a deep sense of wellbeing (Baskin & Enright, 2004;Klatt & Enright, 2011;Menahem & Love, 2013) and personal coherence (Emmons, 2000). Enright's studies on group forgiveness (Enright et al, , 2020 demonstrate how a moral atmosphere that fosters group forgiveness transforms the attitudes of members in the group and accordingly recommend a moral atmosphere of love and compassion as a precondition to forgiveness. Enright and Fitzgibbons (2015) found that when people victimized by an offense chose to forgive the people who offended against them, this reduced their own as well as the offenders' anger, anxiety, and depression (Enright & Fitzgibbons, 2015).…”