This release has been removed upon request of the submitting institution. Please contact Elizabeth Grisham at egrisham@gmu.edu for more information.   

A story that places us inside the mind of a character who is remorseful about causing harm can inspire forgiveness for that fictional bad act, a new study finds. But the literary benefits to a reader’s well-being don’t stop there, according to the results: For those of us holding a grudge against someone who wronged us, this literary technique has potential to help us find a way to forgive offenders in our own lives, too. The writing technique is called “internal focalization,” when the story narrative gives us access to a character’s innermost thoughts.