Forgiveness and Interpersonal Relationships: A Nepalese Investigation

ABSTRACT

The present study examined the practice of forgiveness in Nepal. A model relating collectivism and forgiveness was examined. Participants (N = 221) completed measures of collectivism, individualism, forgiveness, conciliatory behavior, and motivations for avoidance and revenge toward the offender. Collectivism was positively related to forgiveness. Forgiveness was strongly related to conciliatory behavior and motivations for avoidance and revenge toward the offender. Decisional forgiveness was a stronger predictor of motivations for revenge than was emotional forgiveness.

Keywords:

• collectivism
• forgiveness
• individualism
• interpersonal relationship

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David A. Watkins

David A. Watkins has retired after 20 years working as a professor of psychology in the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong. His research interests are in student learning and forgiveness in different cultures.

Eadaoin K. P. Hui

Eadaoin K.P. Hui is an Associate Professor and Division Head at the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong and a Chartered Psychologist affiliated with educational psychology, guidance and counseling programs. Her research areas are forgiveness, forgiveness education and intervention, school guidance and counseling, postive youth development, and life satisfaction.

Wenshu Luo

Wenshu Luo is a Research Scientist at the Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice, National Institute of Education, Singapore. Her research areas include self-concept, self-construal, motivation, self-regulated learning, pedagogy and assessment, and educational measurement and statistics.

Murari Regmi

Murari Regmi is a Visiting Professor, teaching clinical psychology, in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He researches in the areas of learning, self-esteem, and forgiveness.

Everett L. Worthington

Everett L. Worthington, Jr. is Professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is primarily affiliated with the counseling psychology program but also affiliated with programs in social psychology, health psychology, and developmental psychology. He studies forgiveness, religion and spirituality, and marriage enrichment.

Joshua N. Hook

Joshua N. Hook is an Assistant Professor of counseling psychology at the University of North Texas. His research interests include forgiveness, humility, religion and spirituality, couple therapy, and hypersexuality.

Don E. Davis

Don. E. Davis is a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University. His research interests include forgiveness, humility, and religion and spirituality.