FORGIVENESS

Sahrish Fatima Ali

Roll no. 72042
 Definitions

■ Forgiveness is defined differently based on the different aspects associated with it:
1. Decision-based forgiveness
2. Emotional forgiveness
3. Forgiveness as a process
 1. Decision-based forgiveness
■ Focuses on cognitive aspect.
■ DiBaslio’s decisiin-based model (1998).
■ Cognitive letting go of resentment, bitterness and need for vengenance
■ An Act of Will
■ A Choice to Let go or hold
■ A Decision is made individually of whethet to forgive or not.
■ The emotional pain and hurt might still be present.
 2. Emotional forgiveness
■ Focuses on the emotional aspect.
■ Worthington (2006)
■ True forgiveness =Emotional forgiveness
■ Emotional forgiveness = Emotional Replacement
■ Emotional Replacement = Replacing negative emotions with Positive emotions
■ Replacing anger, resentment, vengefulness (-ve emotions) with empathy, compassion,
sympathy and altruistic love (+ve emotions)
■ Emotion changes.
 3. Forgiveness as a process

■ Focuses on 3 aspects : cognitive, affective and behavioral.

■ All these aspects need to change for full forgiveness.
■ Enright & Fitzgibbons (2015)
■ Emotional readiness, emotional healing, cognitive decision, no revenge taking
■ Involves: Cultivating acceptance and empathy, perspective taking and benefit finding.
 Forgiveness and Positive
Psychology
■
Forgiveness has been conceptualized as a human strength because it
meets, among others, the criterion of contributing to “individual fulfillment,
satisfaction, and happiness--broadly construed”.-- Seligman, Steen, Park, &
Peterson, 2005
 Not Forgiveness

■ Excusing an offense
■ Forgetting about it
■ Reconciliation
■ Denial and suppression of emotions
■ Pardoning (Legal concept)
■ Tolerating the situation
 Types of forgiveness

■ Forgiving others
■ Seeking/Receiving forgiveness
■ Self-forgiveness
 Pocedure of forgiveness
> Enright & Baskin (2004)
■ Uncovering phase: Emphasis on exploring the pain that the individual has experienced
■ Decision phase : The person commits to forgive others. The nature of forgiveness is
discussed
■ Work phase : Shifting the focus to the transgressor in an effort to gain insight and
understanding.
■ Deepening phase : The victim moves toward resolution, becoming aware that he or she
is not alone, has him or herself been the recipient of others’ forgiveness, and finds
meaning and purpose in the forgiveness process
 Theories of forgiveness
1. State and Trait Forgiveness
2. Grudge Holding Disposition
3. Vengeful Disposition
4. Forgiving Disposition
5. Adult Attachment Model
6. Sensitivity
7. Stability of Self –esteem
8. Ruminative Style of the Victim
9. Narcissism
10. Pride
 1. State and Trait Forgiveness

■ Personality traits contributing to forgiveness.

■ Having a disposition to forgive a transgressor.
■ Big Five personality traits of neuroticism, conscientiousness, extroversion, openness, and
agreeableness have been found in some studies to be linked to forgiveness.
■ Agreeableness and neuroticism were most strongly related to forgiveness (Worthington, 2006).
 2. Grudge Holding Disposition

■ People with a grudge-holding disposition wish harm and misfortune on the offender and
express a form of passive resistance and bitterness rather than active retaliation and
direct confrontation.
■ Grudge-holders ruminate about being a victim and as a result experience a lot of
negative emotions, namely bitterness, resentment, hostility, hatred, anger, and fear.
3. Vengeful Disposition
4. Forgiving Disposition
5. Adult Attachment Model
6. Sensitivity
7. Stability of Self-esteem
8. Ruminative Style of the Victim
9. Narcissism
10. Pride
THANK YOU