Abstract
The present study investigated age and gender differences in forgiveness of real-life transgressions. Emerging and young,
middle-aged, and older adults recalled the most recent and serious interpersonal transgression and then completed the Transgression-Related
Interpersonal Motivations Inventory (TRIM-18), which measured their avoidance, revenge, and benevolence motivation toward
an offender and indicated to what extent they are generally concerned with the subject of forgiveness. The results revealed
a trend among middle-aged adults to express more avoidance than younger adults. Moreover, young men had a greater motivation
to seek revenge than middle-aged and older men. No such age differences were apparent for women. Additionally, forgiveness
was a more manifest subject in everyday life for middle-aged adults and women. These findings emphasize the importance of
age and gender when investigating forgiveness.
middle-aged, and older adults recalled the most recent and serious interpersonal transgression and then completed the Transgression-Related
Interpersonal Motivations Inventory (TRIM-18), which measured their avoidance, revenge, and benevolence motivation toward
an offender and indicated to what extent they are generally concerned with the subject of forgiveness. The results revealed
a trend among middle-aged adults to express more avoidance than younger adults. Moreover, young men had a greater motivation
to seek revenge than middle-aged and older men. No such age differences were apparent for women. Additionally, forgiveness
was a more manifest subject in everyday life for middle-aged adults and women. These findings emphasize the importance of
age and gender when investigating forgiveness.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s10804-011-9127-x
- Authors
- Pearl Ghaemmaghami, Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14, Box 26, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
- Mathias Allemand, Department of Psychology, Gerontopsychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14, Box 24, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
- Mike Martin, Department of Psychology, Gerontopsychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14, Box 24, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
- Journal Journal of Adult Development
- Online ISSN 1573-3440
- Print ISSN 1068-0667