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Free will doubts may reduce shame and raise forgiveness
New research found that reading arguments against free will made people more self-forgiving and more forgiving of others.
A new study in the British Journal of Social Psychology found that reading arguments against free will made participants more self-forgiving after their own wrongdoing and more forgiving after someone else hurt them.
A survey across 44 countries also found that stronger belief in free will was linked with harsher responses to wrongdoing.
- 260 participants
- First study
- 262 participants
- Second study
- 8,917 people
- Survey size
- British Journal of Social Psychology
- Journal
Why it mattersIt challenges the idea that less belief in free will automatically leads to worse behaviour.
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