BEING FORGIVEN

Abstract

In my dissertation, I examine the experience of forgiveness from the offenders¿ perspective ¿ that is, the notion of 'Being-Forgiven' or 'Forgiven-ness'. As we know, forgiveness is relevant against a backdrop of mistakes. In general, when people commit mistakes, negative outcomes usually follow. In my dissertation, I examine if the offenders¿ experience of being-forgiven for their mistakes may lead to a reduction in their negative emotions, as well as lead them to experience human flourishing outcomes (e.g., happiness, gratitude, creativity, and prosocial behavior). Furthermore, I examine if offenders¿ emotions may mediate the relationship between their experience of forgiveness and their prosocial behavior and creativity. Results of my dissertation show that offenders¿ experience of being-forgiven for work errors does not lead them to experience any human flourishing outcomes; by contrast, offenders¿ experience of being-forgiven for interpersonal transgressions leads them to experience emotion-based and behavioral/social-based human flourishing outcomes.