ABSTRACT
There is perhaps no phenomenon more theoretically interesting but personally devastating than the inexplicable chasm between the words, “I love you,” and “How could you?” Few people caught up in the early excitement of a new relationship can envision the person they love committing an act that discounts them, devalues them, or violates the assumptions of trust and good faith they assumed to be enduring qualities of the relationship. Yet the possibility of a relational transgression ranging from unsettling, to hurtful, and even debilitating is a very real possibility. Even the most trusted and valued friend may commit an act of disregard or violate an assumption of privacy that will challenge the continuation of that friendship. Remarkably, although some relationships dissolve as a result of the transgression, many relationships endure and even improve following the transgression. The question of why and how this is accomplished has recently taken the interest of scholars from a variety of disciplines. One factor that seems to emerge from this research is the critical role of forgiveness. Even when a relationship does not endure following a transgression, forgiveness of the transgressor allows the victim to treat the transgressor with positive regard and move forward with greater comfort in subsequent relationships.
