Does rumination hinder forgiveness in the context of an interpersonal transgression?
Forgiveness theory has been widely researched in the social psychology arena in recent years. The role of rumination in forgiveness has received much attention, with several important studies by prominent researchers attempting to measure its effect. A dominant theoretical perspective on the relationship between rumination and forgiveness in the literature suggests that rumination is detrimental to forgiveness, and that changes in rumination are the antecedent to changes in forgiveness. This paper outlines the prevailing theoretical perspectives on this relationship and presents a critical analysis of a selection of influential studies and their conclusions. An alternative theoretical perspective is introduced and some limitations of the current studies, as well as suggestions for further research, are made.

In order to understand the relationship between rumination and forgiveness, these terms need to be defined. Whilst no single agreed upon definition exists, there are a set of common elements that underlie these constructs. Rumination can be broadly described as a cognitive process involving conscious repetitive thoughts which revolve around a common theme, and are present even in the absence of immediate environmental demands requiring those thoughts (Martin & Tesser, 1996). Nolen-Hoeksema, Wisco and Lyubomirsky (2008) conceptualise rumination as a way of responding to distress involving repetitively and passively focusing on the event or cause of the distress.
Forgiveness can be described in general terms as a reduction in feelings of hurt, avoidance of the transgressor, and revenge-seeking (McCullough, Rachal, Sandage, Worthington, Brown and Hight, 1998). Worthington and Wade (1999) go a step further in distinguishing between forgiveness and unforgiveness. They