ABSTRACT
Married couples have long acknowledged the relationship benefits of forgiveness, indicating that the capacity to seek and grant forgiveness is an important factor contributing to marital longevity and satisfaction. This chapter presents a definition of forgiveness that captures the essential concept of constructive psychological change. The cardiovascular implications of forgiveness versus harbouring grudges have also been examined. State forgiveness has been found to be associated with lower blood pressure and heart rate, and trait forgiveness has been linked to increased blood pressure recovery after stress. Victims' emotional regulation abilities are also likely to impact on the occurrence of forgiveness. Carpenter, Carlisle, and Tsang investigated the moral appropriateness of self-forgiveness and the role that conciliatory behaviours might play in facilitating self-forgiveness. Results indicated that conciliatory behaviours did facilitate self-forgiveness in offenders, with the suggestion that the influence on self-forgiveness may be through feeling satisfied that moral prerequisites for self-forgiveness have been met.
