NCJ Number
236779
Date Published
2011
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which attitudes towards different goals of justice are associated with tendencies toward forgiveness.
Abstract
Who is more likely to forgive, given that justice is important and motivating for people? In this article, the authors argue that the relation between justice and forgiveness depends on the type of justice involved; specifically, the goals of justice, i.e. retributive versus inclusive. The authors also explored the influence of motivational values on justice goals and forgiveness. Using data from 178 undergraduate psychology students who responded to measures of retributive and inclusive justice attitudes, forgiveness attitudes and dispositions, and values, the authors found support for their hypotheses that retributive justice goals are negatively related to forgiving attitudes and dispositions; inclusive justice goals are positively related to forgiveness; and benevolence and power values play the dominant role in predicting forgiveness. The results have implications for how the relation between justice and forgiveness is conceptualized and applied. (Published Abstract)