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‘Forgive and forget’ starts with punishment: study

It is much easier for people to forgive those who wrong them when some form of punishment is involved.

Led by Peter Strelan, researchers at the University of Adelaide found that in a variety of scenarios forgiveness was much more likely once some form of punishment had taken place. These ranged from troubled relationships to criminal offences, and punishment could be as simple as getting the silent treatment.

This research could help relationship councillors and clinical psychologists when dealing with clients, as well as build a better understanding of human relationships.

Read more at University of Adelaide

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