Current Issue

Issue 4 On line: 16 November 2025

Faces of Forgiveness: The Impact of Emotional Facial Expressions on the Willingness to Forgive
pp. 309-324
First published on 16 November 2025 | DOI:10.5709/acp-0476-6
Sebastian Binyamin Skalski-Bednarz, Loren L. Toussaint, Patrycja Uram, Robert Balas
Corresponding author:

Sebastian B. Skalski-Bednarz, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Faculty of Philosophy and Education, Luitpoldstraße 32, 85071 Eichstätt, Germany.

Email: sebastian.skalski@ku.de

APA
Skalski-Bednarz, S. B., Toussaint, L. L., Uram, P., & Balas, R. (2025). Faces of forgiveness: The impact of emotional facial expressions on the willingness to forgive. Advances in Cognitive Psychology, 21(4), 309-324. https://doi.org/10.5709/acp-0476-6
Abstract

This study explored how facial emotional expressions influence the willingness to forgive, focusing on the role of sadness and attentional orientation under neutral and stress-induced conditions. An online survey was administered through Qualtrics to a U.S. sample (N = 246), employing scales to measure trait forgiveness, compassion, and willingness to forgive. Visual stimuli from the OASIS database were used to induce stress and present facial expressions, with a prior validation study (N = 215) selecting appropriate images displaying happy, neutral, and sad faces. The findings show that sad expressions significantly increased the willingness to forgive compared to neutral or happy expressions, supporting the empathy-altruism hypothesis. Trait forgiveness and compassion enhanced the willingness to forgive, highlighting the interplay between dispositional traits and situational factors. Attentional orientation towards emotional expressions varied with trait forgiveness under stress: those higher in trait forgiveness preferred happy faces. In contrast, those lower in trait forgiveness were more attentive to sad faces. These results suggest that recognizing emotional expressions has the potential to facilitate forgiveness, offering practical implications for conflict resolution strategies. Future research should address limitations such as cultural representation and the complexity of real-life emotional interactions using diverse samples and advanced techniques like eye-tracking.

Keywords: facial emotional expressions, attentional orientation, forgiveness, compassion

Exploring Grief: An In-Depth Analysis of Bereavement Counseling in The Initial Phases of Loss
pp. 325-334
First published on 17 November 2025 | DOI:10.5709/acp-0474-8
Angela Maria Mackey, Krzysztof Kiełkiewicz
Corresponding author:

Krzysztof Kiełkiewicz, School of Human Sciences, VIZJA University, Okopowa 59, 01-043, Warsaw, Poland.

Email: kkielkiewicz@gmail.com

APA
Mackey, A. M., & Kiełkiewicz, K. (2025). Exploring grief: An in-depth analysis of bereavement counseling in the initial phases of loss. Advances in Cognitive Psychology, 21(4), 325-334. https://doi.org/10.5709/acp-0474-8
Abstract

The objective of this study was to gain insight into the experiences of qualified therapists in counseling early-stage bereaved clients and to identify implications for clinical practice. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with psychotherapists experienced in bereavement counseling, using a phenomenological, thematic analysis approach. The primary objectives of early bereavement counseling are to normalize the client's experience, provide psychoeducation, assess emotional and functional risks, offer support through active listening, and create a safe space for emotional release. Empathy and attentive listening were found to be essential qualities for therapists. There were no risks associated with early bereavement counseling, which is in contrast to most current practice recommendations. The counseling session might be brief, and clients who need more help are urged to seek it out elsewhere. Comprehensive clinical work is not recommended at this early stage.

Keywords: early bereavement, counseling, psychotherapy, well-being, qualitative methodology

Zadania finansowane w ramach umowy 801/P-DUN/2018 ze środków Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego przeznaczonych na działalność upowszechniającą naukę: Finansowanie zagranicznych redaktorów naczelnych; Przygotowanie i edycja anglojęzycznych publikacji; Upowszechnianie publikacji i ułatwianie dostępu do nich szerokiemu gronu odbiorców; Utworzenie nowej platformy do udostępniania artykułów. W latach 2022-2024 czasopismo naukowe Advances in Cognitive Psychology otrzymuje dofinansowanie w ramach programu Rozwój Czasopism Naukowych Ministerstwa Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego (nr rejestracyjny wniosku/umowy: RCN/SN/0494/2021/1; wartość dofinansowania przyznanego przez Ministerstwo: 45,954.00 PLN; całkowita wartość zadania: 91,908.00 PLN; data podpisania umowy o dofinansowanie zadania: 23.12.2022). Projekt ma na celu podniesienie standardów naukowych i wydawniczych czasopism naukowych oraz zwiększenie ich międzynarodowego wpływu i zasięgu. Dofinansowanie przyznane Advances in Cognitive Psychology przez Ministerstwo są przeznaczone na: (a) opłatę licencji/dostępu do pakietu oprogramowania redakcyjnego, w tym systemu antyplagiatowego, oraz rejestracji numerów DOI dla publikowanych artykułów; (b) wdrożenie współczesnych najlepszych praktyk wydawniczych na poziomie system oprogramowania redakcyjnego, w tym integracji numerów DOI, (c) opłatę licencji/dostępu do programu do składu artykułów oraz (d) promocję czasopisma online wśród potencjalnych autorów i czytelników.

Tasks financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education on the basis of the contract no. 801/P-DUN/2018 out of the funds designed for activities promoting science: Preparation and editing of English versions of articles. Financing foreign Editors-in-Chief, Dissemination of publications and increasing their accessibility to a broad range of readers, Creation of the XML conversion platform to improve the access to the articles (2018-2019). In 2022-2024, Advances in Cognitive Psychology receives financing from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland within the program Rozwój Czasopism Naukowych (application/contract no. RCN/SN/0494/2021/1; total value of the project: 91,908.00 PLN; funds granted directly by the Ministry: 45,954.00 PLN; date of signing the contract: 23.12.2022). The aim of the project is to improve the scientific and editorial standards of scientific journals as well as to increase their international impact and reach. The funds received as part of the program are used by Advances in Cognitive Psychology to (a) finance access to an editorial system software suite, including an anti-plagiarism tool, and to register DOI numbers for the published articles, (b) implement current best practices into the editorial workflow on the level of the editorial system suite, including the addition of ORCID numbers, (c) finance access to typesetting software, and (d) promote the journal among potential authors and readers online.