Fall 2004 (Volume I, Issue 2)
Why to Forgive
This issue of Greater Good features a series of essays about forgiveness. Leading scientists present ground-breaking evidence of how forgiving can improve personal health and strengthen social bonds, Archbishop Desmond Tutu discusses the moral and political reasons for forgiving, and people from different walks of life share their stories of forgiveness. The issue also includes an interview with former United States Labor Secretary Robert Reich on the relationship between social justice and social empathy.
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Q&A
Features
The New Science of Forgiveness (06)
By Everett L. Worthington Jr. | Fall 2004Everett L. Worthington, Jr. has dedicated his career to the study of forgiveness. He has found that it carries tremendous health and social benefits—and he's taken his research to heart.
Truth and Reconciliation (09)
By Desmond Tutu | Fall 2004Forgiveness is not just personally rewarding. It's also a political necessity, says Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He explains how forgiveness allowed South Africans to imagine a new beginning-one based on honesty, peace, and compassion.
The Choice to Forgive (11)
By Fred Luskin | Fall 2004Forgiveness takes practice, says Fred Luskin, but it's a skill almost anyone can learn. He shares his research-tested method for helping people give up their grudges.
Making Peace Through Apology (13)
By Aaron Lazare | Fall 2004There's more than one way to say "I'm sorry," according to apology expert Aaron Lazare. Some apologies encourage forgiveness and reconciliation; others only make things worse. Here's how to tell the difference.
Caring for the Caregivers (15)
By Sarita Tukarama | Fall 2004To help teachers deal with the stress of their job, new programs are drawing on some unconventional—and research-tested—techniques.
Gaming the School System (16)
By Matthew Wheeland | Fall 2004Thanks to one program, students have found that resolving their differences can be all fun and games.
Green Peace (17)
By Chris Young | Fall 2004What could help do the work of medication, meditation, and community police officers? The answer’s in your backyard.
Book Reviews
Book Review: The Anatomy of Hope (18)
By Matthew Wheeland | Fall 2004by Jerome Groopman
Random House, 2004, 248 pages
Book Review: Making Good (20)
By Jason Marsh | Fall 2004by Wendy Fischman, Becca Solomon, DeborahGreenspan, and Howard Gardner
Harvard University Press, 2004, 208 pages
Book Review: The Psychology of Gratitude (21)
By Christine Carter | Fall 2004Edited by Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough
Oxford University Press, 2004, 368 pages
Most...
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Five Ways Giving Thanks Can Backfire
April 29, 2013Most of the time, gratitude is good. But research finds that there are situations when "thank you" may be the wrong response.
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How Gratitude Can Help You Through Hard Times
May 13, 2013It's easy to feel grateful when life is good, says Robert Emmons. But when disaster strikes, gratitude is worth the effort.
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Six Tips for Making the Leap to Meaningful Work
May 15, 2013Job satisfaction is at record lows. What does it take to overcome the fear of change, especially in tough economic times?
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How to Think LIke Sherlock Holmes
May 24, 2013These two books give us insights into how brain science can help us understand our nature, improve our lives, and help us empathize with those who may have memory lapses.
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How to Train the Compassionate Brain
May 23, 2013A new study finds that training in compassion makes us more altruistic—and explores the neuroscience behind why.
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2nd International Conference on Positive Psychology: “Giving Hope – Giving Future”
May 22, 2013
Greater Good Events
University of California, Berkeley
Clark Kerr Campus
Friday, June 28 - Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The GGSC’s six-day Summer Institute will equip educators with social-emotional learning tools that will benefit both students and teachers. Registration is now closed.
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Watch Greater Good Videos
Talks by inspiring speakers like Jon Kabat-Zinn, Dacher Keltner, and Barbara Fredrickson.
WatchGreater Good Resources
"Gratitude and Prosocial Behavior"
Finds that feeling gratitude produces kind and helpful behavior, even when that behavior is costly to the individual actor.
- "Compassion: An Evolutionary Analysis and Empirical Review"
Compassion evolved as a distinct affective experience whose function is to enable cooperation and protection of those who...
- "From Jerusalem to Jericho"
This article on bystander intervention in emergency situations suggests that we are likely to help a “shabbily dressed”...
- Center for Investigating Healthy Minds
The Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, runs a state-of-the-art neuroscience...
- Northeast Foundation for Children
Northeast Foundation for Children is a non-profit educational organization that offers educators the Responsive Classroom...
- Center for Positive Organizational Scholarship
Based at the University of Michigan Business School, this is a networking community for researchers and practitioners...
Book of the Week
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Sponsors
Special thanks to
The Quality of Life Foundation for its support of the Greater Good Science Center
Daniel Goleman
Best-selling author,
Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence
(www.danielgoleman.info)
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