Analysis of Research Studies in the Field of Forgiveness and Religion

Several researchers have conducted research studies in the field of forgiveness and religion. Following is a review of some of the few prominent research studies and their findings:

Case Western Reserve University (2008)

Analysis of literature In the area of redemption and faith, multiple scholars conducted research. A summary of some of the few influential research studies and their results follows: the research findings of Case Western Reserve University (2008) indicate that the degree of forgiveness of male undergraduates was significantly higher than that of female undergraduates.

Kadiangandu, Mullet, and Vinnsonneau (2001)

Culture may play a role in forgiveness–322 people from the Kasai region of Congo and 474 from central France participated. A questionnaire was used to assess pardon, in France females scored higher on pardon than males. Males and females in the Congo scored the same on forgiveness, variations in forgiveness probably exist between society and community.

McCullough et al (2001)

It has been stated that another potential class of explanations for accepting gender differences includes situational differences. Depending on the type of transgression, transgressions can occur in many contexts in different relationships.

Macaskill et al (2002) van Gundy (2000)

Among graduate students, beliefs are often more conservative and thus more likely to engage in activities of gender–stereotypes and gender roles. We may find reasons to suggest that there are variations in population.

Miller, Worthington and McDaniel(2008)

conducted studies conducted on females and found that females are more forgiving than males. Using 53 articles and reporting the results of 70 studies that address gender differences in forgiveness authors mentioned that mean was 0.28 indicating a moderate effect size between male and female differences in regard to forgiveness. This indicated that females are more altruists. In order to examine whether these differences were due to a pure chance effect or used. Analysis of data showed significant differences in the subscales of differences between male and female students.

Lerner (2003)

In his study it was found that 209 comparisons were made of the 76 studies on gender differences in forgiveness, and 97 direct comparisons checked whether men or women were more forgiving. Data analysis showed that there were significant differences in the subscales between male and female students.

Brown (2003) He had completed four experimental studies. Study (1) included 47 dating couples using the forgiving scale (TTF) propensity, in which no gender differences were found. Women rated their male partners more forgiving when using a rating scale than their male partners Male scored higher on the TTF than female scored in study (2). Brown (2003) did not find variations in forgiveness as measured by TTF in Study (3). No major differences between men and women in propensity to forgive the test were found in study (4).

Kadiangandu, Mullet and Vinsonneau (2001)

They analyzed Congolese participants ‘ reactions to a willingness to forgive already used on European samples. They analyzed the degree of forgiveness expressed by Congolese men and women in general, which did not vary as much as European men and women, and Congolese people who attended and were not attending church did not differ as much as European people who attended and did not attend church.

By using the Conceptualization of Forgiveness Questionnaire, Akanksha, Tripathi and Etienne Mullet explored the conceptualization about Forgiveness among Hindu community of India. The result of Four – factor structure of Conceptualization (Encourages Repentance, Immoral Behavior , Broad processes and Change of Heart) which was initially done on the Western European from Christian community were the same as the Hindu communities in India.

The Forgiveness Questionnaire was also administered to the Hindu community to explore their propensity to forgive. Even for the Three- factor structure of Forgiveness ( Lasting Resentment, Sensitivity to circumstances and Unconditional Forgiveness) the data collected from the Hindu communities of India matched the data collected from the European Christian population. Finally the findings concluded that, there was no Difference in Propensity to forgive and conceptualizations about forgiveness between Indian Hindu community and Western European Christians.

Tripathi and Mullet (2010)

A study was conducted between Christian, Islamic, Jewish and secular affiliations,to explore the connection between religiosity and forgiveness. It was an online Questionnaire given to 475 participants. The findings showed a positive correlation between pardon and religiosity. Forgiveness was strongly defined among all religious groups by religiosity rather than specific religion an individual was affiliated with.