Abstract
Empathy toward one’s offender has been identified as an important variable in the forgiveness process, but elements of the empathy—forgiveness connection have yet to be explored. The current study experimentally examined both direct and indirect methods of promoting general empathy (i.e., empathy not connected specifically to the offense) toward a confederate who behaved inconsiderately, and how those methods of general empathy promotion affected forgiveness. Results demonstrated that a direct method of promoting empathy (i.e., being instructed to empathize with the confederate) increased empathy toward the confederate, whereas an indirect method (i.e., the confederate’s display of emotional vulnerability) did not significantly increase empathy. The direct promotion of general empathy facilitated higher levels of self-reported forgiveness, whereas the indirect attempt to promote general empathy resulted in lower self-reported and behavioral forgiveness. The results help to refine our understanding of the empathy—forgiveness connection by questioning the types and forms of empathy that might be useful for promoting forgiveness.
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Notes
We also tested each study hypothesis as an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) using gender as a covariate. Conclusions did not change for any of the analyses when gender was included.
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Data analyzed in this manuscript overlap to some extent with data analyzed in a previously-published article on personality factors (Lannin et al. 2014). Data from that article did not examine the experimental manipulations that are examined in this manuscript.
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Cornish, M.A., Guyll, M., Wade, N.G. et al. Does Empathy Promotion Necessarily Lead to Greater Forgiveness? An Experimental Examination. Curr Psychol 39, 1001–1011 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9816-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9816-8