The Effect of a Men’s Initiation Weekend on Authenticity, Assertiveness, and Forgiveness: A Pilot Study

American men experience worse outcomes on a wide range of health and well-being variables compared to women, including disease, educational problems, violence, addiction, suicide, unemployment, and life expectancy. Because of this, organizations have created programs that focus on helping men both psychologically and spiritually; however, it is important to assess the effectiveness of these programs. The Crucible Project, founded in 2002, attempts to facilitate the development of integrity, courage, and grace in men using a weekend retreat format. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the effect of the weekend retreat on participants’ authenticity, assertiveness, and willingness to forgive (i.e. empirical constructs analogous to integrity, courage, and grace, respectively). Participants ( N = 22) completed measures before the weekend retreat (Time 1), immediately after the weekend retreat (Time 2), and at a 1-month follow-up (Time 3). Results indicate that weekend retreat participants demonstrated a significant increase in scores on measures of authenticity and willingness to forgive and a trend toward increased scores on the measure of assertiveness over time. We conclude by discussing limitations of the study, areas for future research, and implications for spiritual and character development.

Willingness to Forgive Oneself and Others as a Way of Personal Growth of University Students

The article is devoted to the problem the personal growth of students in educational environment. It is indicated that psychological consultation with students in the educational environment on interpersonal problems is a factor in their personal development. The relationship between willingness to forgiveness oneself and others and personal growth in university students is analyzed. The factors of personal personal growth in university students were investigated. The following hypotheses were formulated: 1) willingness to forgive oneself and others, trait forgivingness in university students are positively correlated with personal growth, personal self-efficacy; 2) willingness to forgive oneself and others, trait forgivingness, hardiness, sociability, psychological resilience are significant factors of personal growth in university students. The participants were 512 Ukrainian university students (260 women; 252 men). Scale of Deep Readiness for Forgiveness, Trait Forgivingness (dispositional) Scale, Overall Self-efficacy Scale, Scale of psychological well-being, Psychological Resilience Scale (PRS-11), Freiburg Personality Inventory, Hardiness Test, Mental Health Outcome Measures, Depression and Anxiety (BSI – 12) were applied. Pearson’s correlation coefficients to test the features of the relationship between willingness to forgiveness and personal growth, personal self-efficacy in university students were investigated. The multiple regression analysis for the factors of personal growth in university students was performed. The important factors of personal growth were identified by the study. High levels of willingness to forgiveness, trait forgivingness, sociability, personal self-efficacy, autonomy, psychological resilience, hardiness, self-acceptance increase personal growth university students. The presented findings should be taken into account by persons offering professional support for university students.

Is one good enough? Gauging brand love using a visual single-item measure

PurposeThough brand love is recognized as being an important marketing topic both for theory and practice, a gap still exists with regard to its operationalization. To bridge this gap, this paper proposes a single-item measure (SIM) that uses a visual rating scale (i.e., a rating scale combining verbal with nonverbal contents).Design/methodology/approachThree studies covering over 700 respondents and examining three international brands over three product categories were conducted to test the new measure.FindingsFindings provide consistent evidence for the reliability and validity of the proposed measure. They also demonstrate that brand love, as gauged by the new SIM, is good in predicting positive word of mouth, willingness to pay a higher price, and willingness to forgive brand mishaps.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper focuses on brand love mainly from a measurement perspective.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a practical and parsimonious tool to measure brand love.Originality/valueExtant SIMs of brand love are less than ordinal, content invalid, of unknown reliability, and of untested concurrent validity. This paper provides academics and practitioners alike with a SIM of brand love that is ordinal, content valid, and tested in terms of reliability and concurrent validity.

Forgiveness at Work, Forgiveness at Home? Testing the Context-Dependence of Forgiveness-Related Attitudes and Values

Research and theory on forgiveness in the workplace draws considerably on results from the study of close relationships. This paper considers whether forgiveness-related attitudes and perceptions systematically differ in the home versus workplace contexts. Previous work suggests that people may see forgiveness as less appropriate to express at work than at home, and that they may adjust their values or attitudes relating to forgiveness depending on whether the transgression is personal or professional. It is important to understand whether context shapes forgiveness, because it speaks to the appropriateness of generalizing from theory and research in close relationships when studying forgiveness in organizations. Across three studies (n=944), we experimentally manipulate context (work versus home), and test its effect on forgiveness, the forgivingness of self and others, attitudes toward forgiveness, the perceived riskiness of forgiveness, the willingness to forgive unconditionally, sources of forgiveness aversion, and reactions to others’ forgiveness. In each case, we find no evidence to suggest that forgiveness-related attitudes differ substantively between the home and workplace contexts. We conclude by discussing the implications of this finding for forgiveness as an interdisciplinary topic of study.

Vingança e perdão: Dois lados de uma mesma moeda?

The desire to punish someone who has caused suffering is characterized by revenge. However, it ispossible for someone to present pro-social changes in relation to the offender, which constitutesforgiveness. Studies point out that forgiveness and revenge can be understood in the opposite wayand also share a common dimension. In this sense, this study aimed to compare the adjustment of atwo-factor model for forgiveness and revenge with alternative explanations of one-factor and twofactormodels. 195 people participated, the majority female (66.7%), heterosexual (83.2%), single (80.8%), with incomplete higher education (68.4%) and with ages between 18 and 82 years (M=27.26; SD=11.50), who responded to the Willingness to Forgive Scale and the Vengeance Scale. The results showed that the two-factor model was more appropriate [χ2(102)=175.639, p<0.001; χ2/gl=1.54, SRMR=0.06, CFI=0.94, RMSEA=0.061 (CI90%=0.04-0.07), TLI=0.93]. The results found suggest that, in addition to sharing a common factor, the variables seem to have legitimacy as distinct constructs, providing empirical support for the promotion of strategies aimed at intervening in both general and specific elements related to the constructs.

JUSTICE, MERCY, AND EQUALITY IN DISCRETIONARY CRIMINAL JUSTICE DECISION MAKING

This essay examines whether, in exercising their discretion, criminal justice officials should do justice, grant mercy, and treat alleged or convicted offenders equally. Although it endorses doing justice, the essay maintains that officials should almost never reduce a just punishment simply to be merciful. Public officials are fiduciaries, and they ordinarily have no authority to make unmerited gifts. Sometimes, however, deciding not to inflict a just penalty can reflect the willingness of an entire society to forgive. That may be the case, for example, when truth and reconciliation commissions approve amnesties. The essay focuses on the teachings of Jesus Christ and questions some of them. It asks, for example, whether a modern chief executive would merit praise or condemnation if this executive followed Jesus's example in the case of the woman taken in adultery. The essay also suggests that—unlike other officials—chief executives exercising their pardon power need not act affirmatively to treat like cases alike. A conclusion notes that it would have been out of character for Jesus Christ to refuse a plea for mercy. Nevertheless, few Christians have endorsed an implication of his willingness to forgive—the abolition of criminal punishment.

Political Humility and Forgiveness of a Political Hurt or Offense

The political climate in the United States is turbulent. The current study examined how (a) one’s own political humility and (b) one’s perceptions of the political humility of another person affect one’s willingness to forgive another person for a political hurt or offense. Participants ( N = 494) reported a recent political conflict and reported their forgiveness of the transgressor of this political hurt. Both the participant’s political humility and perceptions of the offender’s political humility were positively associated with forgiveness, whereas political commitment was negatively associated with forgiveness. Moreover, political humility buffered the negative relationship between political commitment and forgiveness. We conclude by discussing limitations, suggestions for future research, and practical applications.

Pendidikan Keibubapaan Melalui Santunan Fitrah Nabi Ya’qub A.S Dan Pendekatannya Bagi Menangani Salah Laku Remaja (Parenting Education Through The Prophet Ya’qub Method And His Approaches To Cope With Teenager Misbehaviour)

Youth of today face a very challenging era. The excellent education provided to them will shape them into individuals with an excellent personality, where they can be the apprentice of good behaviour generation. However, the increase of misconduct amongst teenagers is reported to indirectly affect the role of parents as a main social agent. These social agents can contribute to the development of teenagers’ personality. Al Quran, as Manhaj Rabbani, provides solutions and guidance in shaping the personality of children and youth. Thus, this paper aims to study the excellent values and educational approaches practiced by Prophet Ya’cub a.s in handling the behaviour of his children and analyse those approaches to address the youth of today’s social problem. This study used a qualitative approach in the form of content analysis. The data analysis used a descriptive approach. The samples of study include Quranic verses in Surah Yusuf related to the values of Prophet Ya’cub a.s especially in the aspect of educating children. Excellent values such as good communication, useful advice, high level of patience, taqwa to Allah and willingness to forgive others shall be applied by parents in dealing with their children’s misconduct. The implication of this study is expected to encourage the effort and create a formula in nurturing youth with good values and a noble character in their action and interaction, thereby reduce their risk of performing misconduct and getting involved in social problems.

Developing and Validating an Organizational Forgiveness Measure: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Approach

The purpose of this validation study was to develop and validate an organizational forgiveness measure. Convenient sampling was employed to recruit 148 participants from among the staff of Iran Rehabilitation Organization. A Likert scale questionnaire consisting of 21 statements on five subscales, namely, &lsquo;emotional composure&rsquo;, &lsquo;empathy with the perpetrator&rsquo;, &lsquo;rebuilding the broken relationship&rsquo;, &lsquo;willingness to forgive&rsquo;, &lsquo;satisfaction from forgiving&rsquo;, and &lsquo;better understanding&rsquo; was developed by the researcher. The questionnaire was completed by the participants after they were instructed as to how to do it. Exploratory factor analysis was used to validate the questionnaire. The results showed that the questionnaire was a valid instrument to measure degree of organizational forgiveness.