Motivating Change in Relationships Can Prayer Increase Forgiveness? (original) (raw)
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Personal Relationships, 2013
Several studies tested whether partner-focused prayer shifts individuals toward cooperative tendencies and forgiveness. In Studies 1 and 2, participants who prayed more frequently for their partner were rated by objective coders as less vengeful. Study 3 showed that, compared to partners of targets in the positive partner thought condition, the romantic partners of targets assigned to pray reported a positive change in their partner's forgiveness. In Study 4, participants who prayed following a partner's "hurtful behavior" were more cooperative with their partners in a mixed-motive game compared to participants who engaged in positive thoughts about their partner. In Study 5, participants who prayed for a close relationship partner reported higher levels of cooperative tendencies and forgiveness.
The effects of brief prayer on the experience of forgiveness: An American and Indian comparison
International Journal of Psychology, 2015
T he present study offers a cross-cultural examination of the effect of prayer on forgiveness. American (n = 51) and Indian (n = 100) participants either prayed for their romantic partner (prayer condition) or described their romantic partner's physical attributes (control condition). Prayers were self-guided and lasted 3 minutes. Pre-test and post-test measures of retaliation were completed. Results showed that participants in the prayer group showed statistically significant decreases in retaliation motives from pre-test to post-test and the magnitude of this change was not different across cultures. Control groups in both cultures showed no change. Because of the religious diversity present in the Indian sample, the robustness of the effect of prayer on forgiveness was tested across Christian, Hindu and Muslim Indians. Religious affiliation did not moderate the effect of prayer on forgiveness in this sample. Results suggest that a brief prayer is capable of producing real change in forgiveness and this change is consistent across American and Indian cultures and across three different religious groups in India. Brief prayer for others that enhances forgiveness may be useful for individuals in close relationships, in certain counselling settings and for people in many different walks of life.
Motivating Change in Relationships
Psychological Science, 2009
The objective of the current studies was to test whether praying for a relationship partner would increase willingness to forgive that partner. In Study 1 ( N = 52), participants assigned to pray for their romantic partner reported greater willingness to forgive that partner than those who described their partner to an imagined parent. In Study 2 ( N = 67), participants were assigned to pray for a friend, pray about any topic, or think positive thoughts about a friend every day for 4 weeks. Those who prayed for their friend reported greater forgiveness for their friend than did those in the other two conditions, even when we controlled for baseline forgiveness scores. Participants who prayed for their friend also increased in selfless concern during the 4 weeks, and this variable mediated the relationship between experimental condition and increased forgiveness. Together, these studies provide an enhanced understanding of the relationship benefits of praying for a partner and begin ...
Journal of Psychology …, 2008
Gem:ge Fo:x Universi~i' Forgiveness and prayer are both topics of contemporary social science research, but they are not o ften cont>idered together. The present t>tudy investigates how Christian respondents p01tray prayer when describing the process of interpersonal forgiveness. Just over half of the respondents mentioned prayer as a n irnportant part of forgiveness at their first opp01tunity in a structured interview protocol. Prayer responses •Nere coded as inward, upward, or o utward, 'vvith imvard prayers being the m ost common. The n;Hmtive descriptions o f inward pmyer resemble w•oJthington's (2001, 2003) REACH model of the forgiveness proces;;. The astounding g row th of social science research in f::Jrgiveness can be seen in the number of forgiveness-related articles in major psychology journals. In a single recent year, articles pertaining to forgiveness appeared in jourr.al of
Faith and unfaithfulness: Can praying for your partner reduce infidelity?
2010
Abstract 1.[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 99 (4) of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (see record 2010-20570-001). The article contained an error in Table 2, in the third column table heading. The correct table heading is provided in the erratum.] Because religion and/or spirituality is integral to the lives of a majority of the world population, we conducted 3 studies on the role of prayer in romantic relationships.
Encounter, 2014
The psychology of forgiveness has primarily focused on intrapersonal forgiveness in response to an interpersonal offense. Clearly, the study of the supernatural, including God’s forgiveness of people, is a process beyond scientific study. However, psychological scientists can study how people respond to perceptions of God’s forgiveness and what happens when people forgive others or themselves. Forgiveness of others has resulted in health and relationship benefits. More recently, psychologists have considered the benefits of self-forgiveness. Self-forgiveness is different from forgiving others, because in self-forgiveness a person is usually attempting to rid oneself of guilt for having harmed another rather than forgiving another for the harm received. This article will review the concept of forgiveness, studies about forgiveness and health, and studies related to psychological interventions. In addition, it will also review studies that have a direct or indirect link to Christian spirituality.
Religions
It is well documented that religion and its different aspects positively affect people’s ability to forgive. However, studies have rarely moved beyond direct associations to explore potential mediators of this relationship. In this context, our main aim was to examine the direct relationship between God’s engagement/disengagement in response to prayer and forgiveness with the possible influence of a positive orientation. Data were gathered from 464 participants aged 18 to 75 (M = 31.10; SD = 11.32). This study included 255 women (55%) and 209 men. We used the Brief Measure of Perceived Divine Engagement and Disengagement in Response to Prayer, the Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory, and the Positivity Scale. In line with our hypotheses, interpersonal forgiveness correlated positively with God’s perceived engagement (H1); it was negatively associated with God’s disengagement (H2); and it was positively linked to positive orientation (H3). Moreover, positive ori...
Forgiveness in Committed Couples: Its Synergy with Humility, Justice, and Reconciliation
Religions
Theologians, pastors, and psychological help-providers have not always worked harmoniously. This can be especially true with couples. Theological and pastoral help-providers value marriage as sacred and are reluctant to entertain ending it. Most psychotherapists have more training and experience in individual psychotherapy than in couple therapy. Drawing on the parable of the Good Samaritan, we appeal to theologians, pastors, and psychological help-givers to work together. We examine ways that psychological findings might inform theology and pastoral practice. As an example, we use forgiveness in committed romantic relationships. What causes strong couple relationships are the formation, strengthening, maintenance, and (when damaged) repair of ruptures in the emotional bond. Thus, forgiveness is one major cause of good marriage. Forgiveness requires being oriented toward the other person’s welfare, and in humility responding to wrongdoing mercifully. Forgiving in committed relations...
Prayer and satisfaction with sacrifice in close relationships
2012
Abstract Three studies document the effect of prayer on satisfaction with sacrifice in close relationships. Study 1 (n= 771) demonstrated that prayer for partner predicted later satisfaction with sacrifice. In Study 2 couples discussed a disagreement and then prayed or engaged in a control activity. Praying increased satisfaction with sacrifice, couple identity and emergent goals, both of which mediated the relationship between prayer for partner and sacrifice.