Abstracts for Listed 2008 Empirical Publications

S FOR LISTED 2008 EMPIRICAL PUBLICATIONS (ONLY FIRST AUTHOR LISTED UNLESS MULTIPLE ARTICLES BY SAME FIRST AUTHOR) Note: In press abstracts not included Allemand The present study examined age differences in forgivingness, defined as an enduring tendency to forgive others. Building on the theory of socioemotional selectivity, the study aimed at clarifying the role of future time perspective and social proximity on age differences in forgivingness. Older (N = 132) and younger participants (N = 225) were instructed to judge their willingness to forgive as a function of social proximity and future time perspective. Controlling for selfreported future time perspective, results indicate that older adults were more willing to forgive than younger adults. Social proximity did not play a role in older adults, whereas younger adults reported greater forgivingness with respect to a friend as compared to an acquaintance. In addition, results demonstrate that the perception of future time plays an essential role in forgivingness. An age by future time perspective interaction effect was found, suggesting that the effect of limited future time perspective was smaller in older adults than in younger adults. Future directions concerning the meaning and possible implications of age differences in forgivingness are discussed. Armour As prison populations continue to rise, faith-based and restorative justice programs show promise in influencing offenders' internal motivations and external behaviors. Using a onegroup, pretest-posttest design, this pilot study found significant change in offenders' (n = 102) moral motivations (empathy, perspective taking, forgiveness, proneness to forgive, daily spiritual experiences, and relationships with others) after their self-selected participation in a 14-week faith-based program that draws from the principles of restorative justice. Hierarchical regression models were used to examine the impact of reported subscription to Christianity on pretests and score changes. At pre-test, Christian participants (n = 66) were more likely to forgive than nonChristian participants (n = 33) who conversely were more likely to see the perspectives of others. Christian offenders had significantly higher change scores on perspective taking and empathic concern than non-Christian participants. Findings have implications for the use of faith-based programs and victim-centered curriculums to change offenders' moral motivations and for matching faith-based Christian programs with Christian participants. Bassett The studies reported in this paper used an experimental paradigm to explore some of the dynamics of seeking forgiveness. Christian college students were asked to imagine scenarios where one person transgressed against another. The first study manipulated the presence or absence of seeking forgiveness from the victim, seeking forgiveness from God, and selfforgiveness within a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. After imagining each scenario, participants then evaluated the offender, the situation, and the relationship between the offender and the victim. The second study used similar procedures to focus on the role of moral emotions, on the part of the transgressor, in seeking forgiveness from the victim. The scenarios for this study manipulated the presence or absence of transgressor shame, guilt, and spiritual focus. Analysis and discussion of the results from both studies are presented in an effort to more fully understand the cause and effect of seeking forgiveness.