Personality Psychology Podcast – New Episode!
Episode #63 of The Personality Psychology Podcast explores the science of forgiveness with Professor Loren Toussaint. Together with host Lisanne de Moor, the conversation examines forgiveness as a psychological construct, its relationship with personality, and the growing body of research exploring its role in well-being and interpersonal relationships.
About This Episode
Forgiveness has become an increasingly important topic within personality psychology and psychological well-being. In this episode, Loren Toussaint discusses how forgiveness can be understood from a scientific perspective, the personality characteristics associated with forgiveness, and why it may contribute to healthier relationships, resilience, and overall well-being.
The discussion also explores an emerging area of research by considering whether receiving forgiveness may provide psychological benefits alongside the established benefits of forgiving others. The episode raises important questions for future research while also offering insights into how forgiveness may be understood and applied in people’s everyday lives.
Topics Discussed
- Forgiveness as a scientific construct
- Personality correlates of forgiveness
- The psychological benefits of forgiving others
- The potential benefits of being forgiven
- The relationship between forgiveness, health, and well-being
- Future directions for forgiveness research
Guest
Professor Loren Toussaint
Loren Toussaint shares his research on forgiveness, discussing its theoretical foundations, links with personality, and implications for psychological health, interpersonal relationships, education, and future scientific research.
Further Resources
Discover Forgiveness
Explore information, research, and practical resources about forgiveness through the Discover Forgiveness initiative supported by the Templeton World Charity Foundation.
Forgiveness and Health
This academic book examines scientific evidence, theories, and research concerning the relationship between forgiveness, psychological health, and physical well-being.
Key References
Skalski-Bednarz, S. B., Toussaint, L. L., Makhashvili, N., Razmadze, M., Dębski, P., & Surzykiewicz, J. (2025). Dispositional forgiveness and mental health and well-being: Adaptation of the Toussaint forgiveness scale in Georgia and cross-cultural comparison with Poland. Religions, 16(6), 720.
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Skalski, S., & Toussaint, L. L. (2024). Forgiving minds: Unraveling the role of executive functioning and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation. Advances in Cognitive Psychology, 20(4), 247–255.
Stapleton, P., Le Sech, K., Toussaint, L. L., & Hsieh, H. K. (2025). Effectiveness of a single emotional freedom techniques session on facilitating forgiveness and mental health: A randomized clinical trial. Cogent Psychology, 12(1), 2538740.
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Toussaint, L. (2024). Can forgiveness offer freedom from hatred and promote peace in your heart and homeland? In Peace Education, Religious Discourse, and Scientific Enquiry (pp. 69–81). Routledge.
Toussaint, L. (2025). Understanding forgiveness, dangerous drifting, evolution of understanding, and plurality: A commentary on “Definitional drift within the science of forgiveness”. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 45(1), 49–55.
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Toussaint, L., Chapman, H. R., Bhoopathi, V., Saltou, B., Moghaddam, N., & Ismail, A. I. (2025). Forgiveness of self and situations and rumination as mental health correlates in dental school students. Journal of Dental Education.
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Toussaint, L., Kueny, A., & Stevens, A. (2024). Forgiveness education in fourth-through eighth-grade classrooms: Development and evaluation of a new forgiveness curriculum. Education Sciences, 14(9), 928.
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Toussaint, L. L., Seawell, A. H., Elder, K., Surzykiewicz, J., & Skalski-Bednarz, S. B. (2026). Forgiveness and my waistline: Emotional eating mediates the relationship between forgiveness and adult weight gain. Journal of Public Health, 1–10.
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Toussaint, L. L., Thomas, A. K., Webb, J. R., Wilson, C. M., Williams, D. R., Reid, S. D., Skalski-Bednarz, S. B., Surzykiewicz, J., & Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2026). ‘Doh Beat Up’ and ‘Doh Take It on:’ Exploring direct and indirect associations between religious commitment, self-forgiveness and self-condemnation in Trinidad and Tobago. Religions, 17(6), 634.
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