Forgivingness and adult patterns of individual differences in environmental mastery and personal growth

Abstract

Past research has suggested a typology of adults contingent on whether they desire security and environmental
mastery, or want new experiences and personal growth. Adults may emphasize environmental
mastery (‘‘conservers”), personal growth (‘‘seekers”), both (‘‘achievers”), or neither (‘‘depleted”). The current
study examined whether these patterns differentially associate with forgivingness and self-forgivingness.
These patterns were evident in a representative probability sample of Swiss adults (N = 450),
and we found that forgivingness and self-forgivingness related to lower levels of negative affect (e.g., disappointment,
sadness, etc.) and higher levels of positive relations (assessed using the Psychological Well-
Being scales). The different types of adults differed on levels of forgivingness and self-forgivingness, as
conservers exhibited higher levels on both variables.