Forgiveness Likelihood Scale

Abstract

The Forgiveness Likelihood Scale (FLS) is a 10-item, scenario-based psychometric instrument designed to assess an individual’s propensity to grant forgiveness following various interpersonal transgressions. Developed by Rye and colleagues in 2001, the scale utilizes hypothetical situations to measure the subjective probability that a respondent would choose to forgive a transgressor, ranging from minor betrayals by friends to significant hurts inflicted by romantic partners or strangers. It is frequently employed in studies investigating stable individual differences in trait forgiveness.

Keywords

Forgiveness, Likelihood, Psychometrics, Trait Forgiveness, Interpersonal Relationships, Transgression.

Authors

Rye, Mark S., Loiacono, Dawn M., Folck, Chad D., Olszewski, Brandon T., Heim, Todd A., Madia, Benjamin P.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Forgiveness Likelihood Scale (FLS) is to quantify an individual’s general disposition towards forgiving others across a spectrum of hurtful events. Unlike measures focusing solely on forgiveness toward a specific offense or target, the FLS aims to capture a stable trait—the inherent likelihood that a person will opt for reconciliation or the cessation of negative feelings following an injury.

By presenting 10 distinct hypothetical scenarios, the scale prompts respondents to detach from current relational conflicts and evaluate their hypothetical response, thus providing a clearer measure of their intrinsic forgiveness tendencies rather than state-dependent responses. This methodology is critical for research examining personality psychology and coping mechanisms.

Construct

The FLS measures Trait Forgiveness, defined as a stable personality characteristic reflecting an individual’s general tendency to forgive a wide range of interpersonal harms. This construct is distinct from State Forgiveness, which refers to the specific process of granting forgiveness toward a particular person for a specific offense.

The scale operationalizes this construct by sampling various types of transgressions (e.g., betrayal, infidelity, theft) inflicted by different relationship types (friend, family, significant other, stranger). The resulting score is interpreted as a measure of the respondent’s dispositional willingness to reduce resentment and increase positive feelings toward the transgressor, independent of the context of the immediate relationship.

Validity

In the original 2001 study, the FLS demonstrated robust evidence of construct validity. Researchers evaluated its relationship with established measures of personality and mental health. Specifically, the FLS showed significant negative correlations with measures of hostility and rumination, supporting the idea that higher forgiveness likelihood is associated with healthier psychological profiles.

Furthermore, convergent validity was established by showing strong positive correlations between the FLS and other established trait forgiveness scales, confirming that the instrument measures the intended latent psychological construct. The scale also exhibited expected correlations with measures of empathy and agreeableness.

Reliability

The FLS has demonstrated strong internal consistency, which is a key indicator of reliability. In the initial validation study, the scale yielded high Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, typically ranging between .80 and .90, indicating that the 10 items consistently measure the same underlying construct (trait forgiveness).

While specific test-retest reliability data might vary across subsequent studies, the high internal consistency strongly suggests that the FLS is a reliable measure for assessing stable individual differences in the likelihood of granting forgiveness.

Factor Analysis

The initial validation of the Forgiveness Likelihood Scale utilized factor analysis to investigate its underlying structure. The results generally supported a single-factor structure, suggesting that all 10 scenario items contribute coherently to a single, global measure of trait forgiveness likelihood.

This unidimensionality is crucial, as it confirms that the various types of transgressions presented (minor betrayal, major infidelity, property loss) are all being processed by respondents through a common lens of general forgiveness propensity, justifying the calculation of a single total score.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report scale, Scenario-based measure

Format: 10 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1=Not at all likely to 5=Extremely Likely). Total scores range from 10 to 50, with higher scores indicating a greater likelihood of forgiveness.

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: General adult population (Non-clinical)

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults

Population Details: Primarily validated using undergraduate student samples in the United States, although applicable to general adult populations studying relationship dynamics and personality traits.

Test Methodology: Respondents are instructed to imagine themselves in 10 different hypothetical scenarios involving various acts of betrayal or harm and then indicate the likelihood of them choosing to forgive the transgressor in that situation.

Keywords

Trait Forgiveness, Interpersonal Harm, Personality Measurement, Psychological Assessment, Scenario Method, Likert Scale.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source documentation.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source documentation.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence details for the lead author, Dr. Mark S. Rye, were generally affiliated with the Department of Psychology at the time of publication (2001). Specific address details are not provided in the abstracted content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and published in 2001. As a measure published in an academic journal (Current Psychology), its use is generally permissible for non-commercial academic research, provided proper attribution is given to Rye et al. (2001). Researchers should consult the journal or the lead author regarding any commercial use or formal licensing requirements.

Reference’s

• Rye, Mark S., Loiacono, Dawn M., Folck, Chad D., Olszewski, Brandon T., Heim, Todd A., and Madia, Benjamin P. (2001). “Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of Two Forgiveness Scales.” Current Psychology 20(3): 260–277.
• The original PDF of the article, containing the instrument on pages 276-277, can be downloaded here: http://pages.uoregon.edu/bolszews/CPforgiveness.pdf.

Items of the Forgiveness Likelihood Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Imagine the scenarios below happened to you. Based on the information provided, consider the likelihood that you would choose to forgive the person. Then, circle the response that is most true for you.

5=Extremely Likely, 4=Fairly Likely, 3=Somewhat Likely, 2=Slightly Likely, 1=Not at all likely

1. You share something embarrassing about yourself to a friend who promises to keep the information confidential. However, the friend breaks his/her promise and proceeds to tell several people. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive your friend?
2. One of your friends starts a nasty rumor about you that is not true. As a result, people begin treating you worse than they have in the past. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive your friend?
3. Your significant other has just broken up with you, leaving you hurt and confused. You learn that the reason for the break up is that your significant other started dating a good friend of yours. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive your significant other?
4. A family member humiliates you in front of others by sharing a story about you that you did not want anyone to know. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive the family member?
5. Your significant other has a “one night stand” and becomes sexually involved with someone else. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive your significant other?
6. Your friend has been talking about you behind your back. When you confront this person, he/she denies it, even though you know that he/she is lying. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive your friend?
7. A friend borrows your most valued possession, and then loses it. The friend refuses to replace it. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive your friend?
8. You tell an acquaintance about a job that you hope to be hired for. Without telling you, the acquaintance applies and gets the job for him/herself. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive your acquaintance?
9. A stranger breaks into your house and steals a substantial sum of money from you. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive the stranger?
10. You accept someone’s offer to attend a formal dance. However, this person breaks their commitment to take you and goes to the event with someone who they find more attractive. What is the likelihood that you would choose to forgive this person?