Expectations about forgiven versus rejected transgressors among preschoolers

Forgiveness is indispensable for restoring damaged interpersonal relationships. Research suggests that young children develop an understanding of the emotional and behavioral effects of forgiveness on victims during their preschool years. However, it remains unclear how children expect forgiven versus rejected transgressors to feel and behave. This study evaluated preschoolers’ expectations about four aspects of forgiven and rejected transgressors, namely feelings of guilt and gratitude, repetition of transgression, and affiliative behavior. Four- to six-year-olds ( n = 135, 62 boys) and adults ( n = 45, 26 men, M = 25.8 years) in Japan answered questions related to stories about forgiven or rejected transgressors. While adults inferred guilt in both scenarios, children associated more guilty feelings with forgiveness than with rejection. All age groups expected increased gratitude in forgiven transgressors compared to rejected ones, with six-year-olds anticipating higher levels of gratitude than others. Adults expected forgiven (vs. rejected) transgressors to be less likely to repeat a transgression, whereas children did not differentiate between the two. Five- and six-year-olds and adults expected more affiliative behavior from forgiven transgressors than from rejected ones, while four-year-olds did not. These findings suggest that adult-like expectations about forgiven transgressors’ gratitude and affiliative behavior partly emerge at age four and develop throughout preschool years. However, expectations about forgiven a transgressor’s guilty feelings and future transgressions may develop later. Together, these findings clarify how early expectations about forgiveness begin to take shape and lay the groundwork for understanding the developmental foundation of forgiveness. • Forgiveness is essential to repair damaged interpersonal relationships. • We explored preschoolers’ expectations about forgiven vs. rejected transgressors. • Children aged 4–6 years expected increased gratitude in forgiven transgressors. • 5- and 6-year-olds expected forgiven transgressors to be more affiliative. • Expectations about forgiven transgressors’ guilt and reoffending may develop later.