People who forgive more tend to feel better about their lives. Digest
Patterns of unresolved emotion can quietly shape mood, relationships, and even a person's sense of purpose. In a new study, researchers examined whether people who tend to forgive others more often experience better overall well-being over time.
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The study followed 207,919 adults from 23 countries. Participants reported how often they forgave others, and researchers compared those who forgave often or always with those who rarely or never did. They then examined how this tendency related to 56 different outcomes one year later, including mental health, relationships, physical health, behavior, and financial well-being.
- About three-quarters of participants said they often or always forgave others, while roughly one quarter reported doing so rarely or never.
- People who were more forgiving showed slightly higher overall well-being one year later.
- The strongest links appeared in mental, social, and personal character areas, including greater optimism, a stronger sense of purpose, better relationships, and a stronger feeling of belonging.
- More forgiving individuals also reported higher levels of positive personal traits and behaviors, such as gratitude, hope, the ability to delay rewards, and showing care for others.
- Associations with physical health, exercise, and financial or material outcomes were weaker and often close to zero.
These findings can be interpreted in light of psychological theories. One is the stress-and-coping model, which suggests that forgiving others can help reduce ongoing negative feelings like anger, resentment, or the urge to get back at someone. Another is the broaden-and-build theory, which proposes that positive emotions linked to forgiveness can help people think more openly and build emotional and social resources over time.
This study was observational, meaning it cannot determine whether forgiveness leads to better well-being or vice versa. Most measures relied on single survey questions, which may not fully capture complex experiences. In addition, about 38% of participants did not complete the second survey, which could affect the results. Still, the findings suggest that a general tendency to forgive others is linked to better well-being across many areas of life. In episode #110, Dr. Arthur Brooks breaks down the science of happiness, the role of struggle and suffering in a meaningful life, and the habits that make love, purpose, and emotional well-being more durable.