Forgivingness - A Congo-France comparison

This study first examined the factorial structure of the responses of Congo lese participants to a willingness-to-forgive questionnaire already used on European samples. The same two factors, revenge and circumstances, were fo und. The second aim was to examine the overall level of willingness to forg ive expressed by Congolese as compared to that found in European samples. T he hypothesis that the Congolese are less willing to seek revenge than the Europeans was supported by the data. The third aim was to study possible Co ngo-Europe differences in the way education. religious practice, and other characteristics are related to revenge and circumstances. On overall propen sity to forgive, Congolese men and women did not differ as much as did Euro pean men and women, and Congolese people attending and nonattending church did not differ as much as did European people attending and nonattending ch urch. Forgiveness may be more characteristic of collectivistic cultures tha n of individualistic cultures.