The transforming power of self-forgiveness in the aftermath of wrongdoing

This paper explores the impact of self-forgiveness on transgressors’ self-improvement motivation and their subsequent moral disengagement and unethical behavior. It also investigates whether self-forgiveness might be more critical for transgressors with a fixed mindset compared to those with a growth mindset. Eight studies (Total N = 2,522), in which self-forgiveness was both measured (Studies 1a to 3) and experimentally manipulated (Studies 4 and 5), were conducted to test the proposed theoretical model. Overall, the results of these studies suggest that when transgressors forgive themselves for a transgression, they show greater self-improvement motivation, and therefore are less likely to morally disengage and commit another transgression. Furthermore, self-forgiveness offers greater benefits for transgressors with a fixed mindset than those with a growth mindset. These findings highlight the transforming power of self-forgiveness, particularly for individuals with a fixed mindset.