The role of theory of mind, group membership, and apology in intergroup forgiveness among children and adolescents.

PMID: 34647787 DOI: 10.1037/xge0001094

Commentary

There is no research that has revealed the developmental mechanisms underlying forgiveness in children and adolescents. In this study, young people (M = 9.39 years, SD = 1.67, N = 185, 107 females and 78 males; 54.6% European American, 20.5% African American, 8.1% Latino, 5.9% Asian American, 3.8% multiracial, and 7 .1% other) were surveyed on their judgments and reasoning about forgiveness in hypothetical scenarios involving between-group and within-group offenses.

Results suggest the possibility that participants with more sophisticated theories of mind will be more forgiving of offenders and will distinguish between in-group and out-group ideas about how sorry they are for offending. These participants were observed to be more forgiving of in-group and apologetic members than out-group and non-apologetic members.

The results indicate that young people, especially those with more advanced theory of mind, have a sophisticated understanding of intergroup forgiveness.