The Mediating Role of Perceptual Validation in the Repentance–Forgiveness Process

Abstract

This research focuses on one potential mechanism by which repentance leads to forgiveness. Two studies demonstrate that repentance leads to increased perceptual validation (social verification that one is correct about one's interpretation of an event) and, ultimately, more forgiveness. Participants reported more perceptual validation when they received repentance than when they did not (Studies 1 and 2), particularly repentance that included an acknowledgement of the transgression and the harm done (Study 2). In addition, in Study 2, acknowledgement of the transgression by a third party also had a positive effect on forgiveness. There was evidence that perceptual validation mediated the repentance-forgiveness relationship. These findings suggest that repentance facilitates forgiveness, at least in part, because it makes victims feel validated.

How acts of forgiveness restore a sense of justice: Addressing status/power and value concerns raised by transgressions

“…First, forgiveness restores the belief (even if only the hope) that the offender shares the same values as the victim. A more detailed understanding of this process should be investigated in future research, however we speculate that a such beliefs may derive from the victim's (self-)persuasion that the offender realises the wrongdoing and acknowledges the importance of the shared values violated by the transgression (see Eaton et al, 2006). Forgiveness expresses trust in a consensus about values (Walker, 2006); and with those values no longer questioned, a sense of justice is restored.…”

Conciliatory gestures promote forgiveness and reduce anger in humans

“…After transgressions, human forgiveness-seekers tend to engage in a broad range of conciliatory gestures-verbal and nonverbal as well as voluntary and involuntary-that make them seem more forgivable (2,3). These gestures include explicit acknowledgments of wrongdoing (35), efforts to repay or undo the costs imposed upon the victim (36,37), expressions of sympathy for a victim's suffering, explicit declarations of one's intention to refrain from harming the victim in the future (37,38), blushing (39), and the exchange of gifts or favors (40).…”

The effects of attributions of intent and apology on forgiveness: When saying sorry may not help the story

“…As a motivated decision by victims of an offense to let go of their legitimate right to anger and resentment toward the transgressor and to evaluate the offender favorably, forgiveness is believed to be a process that is influenced by two categories of social cognitive factors. On the one hand, certain intrapersonal factors situated within injured parties such as their attributions for the transgressors' responsibility for the offense can influence forgiveness (Eaton, Struthers, & Santelli, 2006;Fincham, 2000;McCullough et al, 2003;Weiner, 2006;Zechmeister & Romero, 2002). On the other hand, forgiveness is also influenced by interpersonal factors located outside of the injured party, such as an apology from the offender (Darby & Schlenker, 1982;Frantz & Bennigson, 2005;Weiner, Graham, Peter, & Zmuidinas, 1991).…”