Self–Forgiveness: The Stepchild of Forgiveness Research
Abstract
Although research on interpersonal forgiveness is burgeoning, there is little conceptual or empirical scholarship on self–forgiveness. To stimulate research on this topic, a conceptual analysis of self–forgiveness is offered in which self–forgiveness is defined and distinguished from interpersonal forgiveness and pseudo self–forgiveness. The conditions under which self–forgiveness is appropriate also are identified. A theoretical model describing the processes involved in self–forgiveness following the perpetration of an interpersonal transgression is outlined and the proposed emotional, social–cognitive, and offense–related determinants of self–forgiveness are described. The limitations of the model and its implications for future research are explored.
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Growing individuals' self-esteem may support the enhancement of their forgiveness trait.
“growing individuals' self-esteem may support the enhancement of their forgiveness trait (Brown & Phillips, 2005;Eaton, Struthers, & Santelli, 2006;J. H. Hall & Fincham, 2005;Yalcin et al., 2017)”
From THE ROLE OF INTIMACY, BELONGING, SELF-ESTEEM INTHE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANXIOUS, AVOIDANT ATTACHMENT AND FORGIVENESS AMONG MARRIED IRANIAN WOMEN (2021) · cites this paper as J. H. Hall & Fincham, 2005
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Interpersonal forgiving in close relationships: II: Theoretical elaboration and measurement
McCullough, M. E., Rachal, K. C., Sandage, S. J., Worthington, E. L., Brown, S. W., & Hight, T. L. (1998) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.75.6.1586 · Cited by 1,435 · cited 2× · see citing works
“The extent to which an offender apologizes and seeks forgiveness for a transgression is positively associated with the victim’s level of interpersonal forgiveness (e.g., Darby & Schenkler, 1982; McCullough et al., 1997; McCullough et al., 1998; Weiner et al., 1991).”
BackgroundImplementation intentions and effective goal pursuit.
Gollwitzer, P. M., & Brandstätter, V. (1997) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.73.1.186 · Cited by 1,343 · see citing works
Remorse, Confession, Group Identity, and Expectancies About Repeating a Transgression
Gold, G. J., & Weiner, B. (2000) · Basic and Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1207/s15324834basp2204_3 · Cited by 216 · see citing works
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Moral injury and moral repair in war veterans: A preliminary model and intervention strategy
Litz, B. T., Stein, N., Delaney, E., Lebowitz, L., Nash, W. P., Silva, C., & Maguen, S. (2009) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2009.07.003 · Cited by 2,738 · see citing works
The road to forgiveness: A meta-analytic synthesis of its situational and dispositional correlates
Fehr, R., Gelfand, M. J., & Nag, M. (2010) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0019993 · Cited by 749 · see citing works
Impact of killing in war: A randomized, controlled pilot trial
Maguen, S., Burkman, K., Madden, E., Dinh, J., Bosch, J., Keyser, J., Schmitz, M., & Neylan, T. C. (2017) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.22471 · Cited by 143 · see citing works
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Exploring the Contributions of Grit and Personality in the Prediction of Self- and Other-Forgiveness
Walker, C. O. (2017) · Journal of Individual Differences · doi:10.1027/1614-0001/a000236 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Wazid, S. W., & Shahnawaz, M. G. (2017) · Psychological Studies · doi:10.1007/s12646-017-0406-x · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Elaheh, F., MD Nor, M., Abbas, G. B., & Danaee, M. (2021) · International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling · doi:10.35631/ijepc.640006
- Authors
- Hall, J. H., & Fincham, F. D.
- Affiliations
- University at Buffalo, State University of New York (US)
- ORCID
- Fincham, Frank D.
- Venue
- Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
- Publisher
- Guilford Publications
- Published
- 2005-08
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 621-637
- ISSN
- 0736-7236 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2099097541
- Cited by
- 475
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 24 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 9.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Forgiveness and Related Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Keywords
- self-forgiveness, interpersonal forgiveness, interpersonal transgressions, transgressors, conceptual definitions, theoretical model, emotional factors, social-cognitive determinants
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