1. Empathy In the Process of Forgiveness

2. • “You don't have to accept the invitation to get angry.
Instead, practice forgiveness, empathy and
encouragement” said by Dan Fallon.

3. Definition of empathy
• Empathy can be conceptualized broadly as the ability
to understand and relate to the cognitive and affective
experiences of another (Wade & Worthington, 2005).

4. Origin of term “empathy”
• The term empathy is of relatively recent origin,
having been coined by Titchener in 1909.

5. Stages
• Awareness of Self
• Understanding of emotions
• Enhance sensitivity to the feelings of others
• Take the perspective of the other person

6. Dimensions of empathy
• Davis, Hull, Young and Warren (1983) describe
conceptual model of empathy has three dimensions.
• Perspective taking
• Empathetic concern
• Personal distress

7. Definition of Forgiveness
• Forgiveness can be seen as a process of setting aside
negative emotions, thoughts and behaviors, or
motivations of avoidance or revenge towards a
transgressor and transforming them into more positive
emotions, thoughts, motivations and possibly behaviors
(Hodgson & Wertheim, 2007).

8. Unforgiveness Forgiveness
• Selfish love
• Anger
• Unselfish
• Fear
love
• Unempathetic
• Empathy
behavior
Replaced behaviour
• Hate
• Compassion
• Hurt feelings
for self and
• Offences
other

9. Some facts……
Positively Associated
correlated with with
anxiety,
depression and
Unforgiveness premature
death
neuroticism
(Witvliet et
(Lyubomirsky,
2007). al., 2001).
Increased
cardiovascular response
and negatively affect
the immune system
(Worthington and
Scherer, 2003).
(McCllough, Worthington & Rachal, 1997)

10. Relationship with empathy
Perspective Strongly
correlated
taking
Empathetic Correlated
in some
concern studies
Not
Personal strongly
correlated
distress

11. How empathy is in the process of
forgiveness?
• Empathy has a prominent role in the forgiveness theory
and research.
• According to forgiveness theories, empathy can
potentially help to counter negative, stable and global
views of an offender and other describes it as
fundamental attribution error that takes place during
conflict.

12. This error involves seeing one’s own actions as a
result of external situation and contextual factors
(and as therefore understandable and open to
improvement), while viewing offender’s actions
as a result of the person they are, which is stable
and unchanging over time

13. When empathy occurs….

14. Negative, stable and global attributions about an offender (i.e.
the offender is a bad man) and the cause of the transgression are
REPLACED
with the broader view of the offender and the offence
(Hodgson & Wertheim, 2007).

15. In this way……
• The offence becomes attributed to a series of specific
unfolding events, and the offender is viewed as a
human who, like all of us is imperfect.
• This new perspective can help injured parties
compassionately understand the situation and resolve
the conflict.

16. Final consideration in promoting
empathy and forgiveness
• An important distinction in the forgiveness
literature involves the notion that forgiveness is
not condoning another’s action.
• It is inappropriate to uniformly encourage all
injured parties to forgive their transgressor in
case of repeated or severe offences.

17. Continued….
• Regardless of whether forgiveness is considered
appropriate or inappropriate in a particular context,
there is a general consensus that deep hurts experienced
by injured parties need to be respected through
carefully approaching the timing and context of
promoting empathy towards an offender and through
empowering injured parties to come to their own
decisions about whether and how to forgive.

18. Empathy building interventions to foster
forgiveness
• Psycho-education
• Empathy building exercises (Wade & Worthington,
2005).

19. Role in Peace Psychology
• By forgiving others, we contribute in spreading of
peace.
• It has role in removal of conflicts.
• It prevents from building of negative emotions.
• It helps in understanding other individual’s feelings
and emotions.
• It helps in making strong and honest relationships.

20. Summary
• Empathy means to understand a matter according to
another’s point of view and forgiveness means setting
aside negative emotions and replace them with positive
emotions. If we will not empathize with other person,
we cannot forgive him. When we did not forgive other
person, we feel a burden on our heart. Researches had
found a relationship between empathy and forgiveness.
People who had a disposition to empathize, are more
prone to forgive other person. Forgiveness and
empathy has role in overall spreading of peace. There
are techniques which can enhance empathy disposition
and ultimately helped in forgiveness process.

21. References
• Davis, M. H., Hull, J.G., Young, R. D., & Warren, G. G. (1983). Measuring
Individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a unidimensional approach.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44, 113-126.
• Hodgson, L. K., & Wertheim, E. H. (2007). Does good emotion management
aid in the process of forgiving? An examination of the role of multiple
dimensions of empathy in the relationship between emotion
management and forgiveness of self and others. Journal of Social and
Personal Relationships, 24, 931-949.
• McCullough, M. E., Worthington, E.L., & Rachal, K.C. (1997). Interpersonal
forgiving in close relationships. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 73, 321-336.
• Wade, N. G., & Worthington, E.L. (2005). In search of a common error: A content
analysis of interventions to promote forgiveness. Psychotherapy: Theory,
Research, Practice, Training, 42, 160-177.