To be social is to be forgiving: Exploring the relations among forgiveness and character attributes in elementary school students
Tirrell, Jonathan.
2017
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Abstract: This research sought to conceptually assess whether forgiveness is a
character virtue, and to understand what factors might comprise its development.
Accordingly, three purposes were involved in the current investigation: 1. to test the
psychometric properties of a measure of forgiveness used among elementary school students;
2. to explore its behavior amidst other character virtues ... read moreand possible foundational
attributes; and 3. to examine the effects of a character education program designed to
promote character virtues, including forgiveness, among elementary school children.
Accordingly, I conducted two studies assessing forgiveness in relation to character
attributes among elementary school students. In order to provide initial empirical evidence
about the relation of forgiveness to character, and to test a measure developed to assess
forgiveness among elementary school students, Study 1 involved exploring the psychometric
properties of measures related to forgiveness and character, refining the measures, and
examining the relations of forgiveness and character attributes at one point in
development. Based on the results from Study 1, Study 2 involved assessing whether the
relations of forgiveness with character attributes changed across two points in time, and
whether the relations differed according to a character education intervention program
which was designed to promote forgiveness among other virtues and possible foundational
attributes. Findings from tests of psychometric properties of the measures suggested that
measures of forgiveness and selected character attributes possessed reliability and
validity. Furthermore, results indicated that forgiveness was strongly related to character
attributes in this sample. In addition, these findings were further supported by robustness
tests across subgroups. Last, the relations were relatively stable across the two times of
testing and intervention conditions. However, future studies are needed to explore the
antecedents to, and consequences of, forgiveness. I discuss implications of the current
assessment of forgiveness for character education, intervention, and research promoting
adaptive social relationships and thriving societies marked by social
justice.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2017.
Submitted to the Dept. of Child Development.
Advisor: Richard Lerner.
Committee: W. George Scarlett, Lacey Hilliard, Milena Batanova, and Marvin Berkowitz.
Keywords: Social research, Developmental psychology, and Education.read less - ID:
- t435gq855
- Component ID:
- tufts:22458
- To Cite:
- TARC Citation Guide EndNote
