1.From an Error Management Theory (EMT) perspective, we expect a negative forgiveness
bias, in which one underestimates a romantic partner’s forgiveness following one’s own
transgressions. The function would be to secure that the transgressions are fully mended
through reparative behavior. The extent to which this bias is related to infidelity and type
of infidelity has not yet been examined. Both parties in heterosexual couples (N _ 92)
responded independently to questionnaires about their reactions to hypothetical emotional
and sexual infidelity scenarios: forgiveness of unfaithful partner’s hypothetical infidelity
and likelihood of believing in cheated partner’s forgiveness. Question order was balanced
for self and partner transgressions. The results suggest strong negative forgiveness bias
effects. Participants reported less belief in their infidelity being forgiven compared with 2
different criteria of partner forgiveness (self-rated and expressed by partner). This negative
forgiveness bias was present for both emotional and sexual infidelity scenarios, and for
male and female participants. However, this bias was clearly less pronounced for emotionally
unfaithful men. In addition, as predicted, relative to women, men imagining being
victims of emotional infidelity perceived this to be less threatening to the relationship
compared with being victim of sexual infidelity: They also expressed more forgiveness and
less need of keeping distance. Need for revenge and likelihood of breaking up because of
partner’s infidelity evinced no sex differentiated patterns. The study provides novel and
deeper insights into how men and women perceive and react to the distress of emotional and

error management, bias, forgiveness, couples, infidelity, jealousy
2 Prayer condition participants reported significantly more unity and
trust for their partner than those in the positive interaction control group. Relational
unity was again found to mediate the relationship between prayer and trust. These three
studies are discussed in the context of an emerging literature on the relational implications
of prayer. Three studies examine the relationship between prayer, unity, and trust. Study 1 (N _
29) showed that praying for one’s partner predicted objective ratings of trust. Study 2
(N _ 210) found a significant relationship between prayer with a partner and relationship
trust. This relationship was mediated by couple unity. Study 3 (N _ 80) investigated
the relationship documented in a 4-week, experimental study. Participants either
prayed with and for their partner twice a week for 4 weeks, or were assigned to a
positive interaction condition, in which they discussed positive news stories for the
same time span. Prayer condition participants reported significantly more unity and
trust for their partner than those in the positive interaction control group. Relational
unity was again found to mediate the relationship between prayer and trust. These three
studies are discussed in the context of an emerging literature on the relational implications
of prayer. couple prayer, trust, unity, religion, spirituality
3Several studies tested whether partner-focused prayer shifts individuals toward cooperative tendencies and
forgiveness. In Studies 1 and 2, participants who prayed more frequently for their partner were rated by objective
coders as less vengeful. Study 3 showed that, compared to partners of targets in the positive partner thought
condition, the romantic partners of targets assigned to pray reported a positive change in their partner’s forgiveness.
In Study 4, participants who prayed following a partner’s “hurtful behavior” were more cooperative with their
partners in a mixed-motive game compared to participants who engaged in positive thoughts about their partner. participants who prayed for a close relationship partner reported higher levels of cooperative tendencies and
Prayer is a pervasive phenomenon. People
pray at home, at the office, and even
at sporting events. People pray for many
reasons, with roughly 90% of Americans
praying at least occasionally
forgiveness.

4 Forgiveness includes processes that involve a
decision to stop bitterness and thoughts of revenge (i.e.,
decisional forgiveness), which further motivates the forgiver
towards the restoration of positive emotions (i.e., emotional
forgiveness). Using stress and coping framework, this study
investigated intrapersonal and interpersonal facilitators of
decisional and emotional forgiveness in a Chinese marital
context. Chinese, decisional forgiveness, emotional forgiveness, marital relationship, spousal infidelity, stress and coping
5 The present study aimed at determining the effectiveness
of emotionally-focused couple therapy, based on
attachment injury resolution model (AIRM) on increasing trust
among the injured women with marital infidelity. Attachment injury resolution model; emotionally focused couple therapy; marital infidelity; trust
6 Forgiveness has been associated with multiple benefits
for individuals as well as for relationships. Mindfulness
may facilitate an individual’s forgiveness of interpersonal betrayal
by enhancing emotional recovery and perspective taking
and reducing overidentification with anger. The current
study evaluated whether higher levels of self-reported mindfulness
were associated with forgiveness or nonforgiveness of
past partner infidelity.. Forgiveness . Mindfulness . Relationships Infidelity

7 Throughout their relationship, couples experience a myriad of small positive moments
together, such as sharing leisure activities or laughing with one another. Although these
moments may seem trivial in isolation, growing research suggests that accumulating
positive moments together helps couples build emotional capital, which can buffer them
from the harmful consequences of relationship difficulties. The current study examined
two potential mechanisms, relationship attributions and forgiveness, for this buffering
effect. Emotional capital, forgiveness, relationship activities, relationship attributions, relationship satisfaction

8 the authors examined the extent to which perceiving
a partner as responsive and sincere in making amends relates to participants’ forgiveness of a partner after a real-life
hurtful event. Specifically, it was predicted that sincere amends would be associated with greater forgiveness because
it conveys that one’s partner has understood and validated one’s experience of the hurtful event. Results supported
this mediational model. Further, exploratory analyses suggested that this meditational model is moderated by event
severity and relationship satisfaction. Discussion focuses on understanding how this work might help to inform the
dynamic process of forgiveness in couples. “distressing,” “hurtful,” “serious,” “threatening,” and “distancing” the event was to them, and the extent to which the event had a “negative impact” on their relationship at the time it occurred.
9 Many scholars suggest two interrelated models as a
means of helping explain marital fidelity: interdependence
theory and the social investment approach. Both draw their
rationales from the realm of economics in that they view
interpersonal relationships through the lens of social
exchange. Studies suggest that married people frequently engage in intimate relationships with people
other than their spouses, and the literature has extensively examined motives for doing so.
However, less is known about what factors prevent spouses from engaging in extramarital sex.
While investment theory, interdependence theory, and moral theories offer insights into this
question, they have not been subject to much empirical research. Betrayal ,love and terms such as loyalty, regret, and failure