How Do Acts of Penance Influence Intergroup Forgiveness?

Authors

Marta Penczek-Zapala, SQPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Publication Date

2016

Abstract

In the current paper the problems of penance and remorse in intergroup relations, as well as their influence on forgiveness are investigated. We argue that repent can be expressed in multiple ways, which vary in their effectiveness, because of differences in evaluation of their genuineness. Results obtained in an experimental study conducted among 271 Polish students suggest that indeed act of penance alone has no direct influence on willingness to forgive. On the other hand, genuineness of the outgroup conciliatory actions and remorse facilitates forgiveness. Also, it is shown that acts of penance, as well as outgroup remorse may break a negative relationship between magnitude of ingroup harm and intergroup forgiveness.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.4087/EMZI6693

ScholarWorks Citation

Penczek-Zapala, M. (2016). How do acts of penance influence intergroup forgiveness? In C. Roland-Lévy, P. Denoux, B. Voyer, P. Boski, & W. K. Gabrenya Jr. (Eds.), Unity, diversity and culture. Proceedings from the 22nd Congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology. https://doi.org/10.4087/EMZI6693