Article Version of Record

Faith in the Just Behavior of the Government: Intergroup Apologies and Apology Elaboration

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Steele, Rachel R.
Blatz, Craig W.

Abstract / Description

After intergroup injustices, perpetrator groups may seek to restore intergroup relations by offering an apology. Through quantitative empirical tests some scholars have examined whether these apologies promote forgiveness and reconciliation. This work has found inconsistent relations between apology and forgiveness. We proposed and tested other variables as relevant outcomes of intergroup apology as well, namely perceived remorsefulness, faith in societal norms of justice, and trust. We also tested how the elaborateness of an apology changed its effectiveness. The study (N = 145) presented excerpts of President Clinton’s apology for the Tuskegee Syphilis Study to African-Americans, varying the apology elaborateness. We examined whether apologies of varying elaborateness affect forgiveness (to be consistent with past research), perceptions that the response was remorseful, beliefs that norms of just behavior would be upheld, and trust in the perpetrator group. All apologies, but particularly more elaborate apologies, resulted in higher perceptions of remorsefulness and justice norms, but not trust or forgiveness. The results imply that apologies may have many benefits with perceptions of remorsefulness and justice norms being amongst them.

Keyword(s)

apology elaboration intergroup apology intergroup relations justice norms perceived remorsefulness restorative justice

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2014-11-05

Journal title

Journal of Social and Political Psychology

Volume

2

Issue

1

Page numbers

268–288

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Steele, R. R., & Blatz, C. W. (2014). Faith in the Just Behavior of the Government: Intergroup Apologies and Apology Elaboration. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 2(1), 268–288. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v2i1.404
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Steele, Rachel R.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Blatz, Craig W.
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-26T12:45:27Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-26T12:45:27Z
  • Date of first publication
    2014-11-05
  • Abstract / Description
    After intergroup injustices, perpetrator groups may seek to restore intergroup relations by offering an apology. Through quantitative empirical tests some scholars have examined whether these apologies promote forgiveness and reconciliation. This work has found inconsistent relations between apology and forgiveness. We proposed and tested other variables as relevant outcomes of intergroup apology as well, namely perceived remorsefulness, faith in societal norms of justice, and trust. We also tested how the elaborateness of an apology changed its effectiveness. The study (N = 145) presented excerpts of President Clinton’s apology for the Tuskegee Syphilis Study to African-Americans, varying the apology elaborateness. We examined whether apologies of varying elaborateness affect forgiveness (to be consistent with past research), perceptions that the response was remorseful, beliefs that norms of just behavior would be upheld, and trust in the perpetrator group. All apologies, but particularly more elaborate apologies, resulted in higher perceptions of remorsefulness and justice norms, but not trust or forgiveness. The results imply that apologies may have many benefits with perceptions of remorsefulness and justice norms being amongst them.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Steele, R. R., & Blatz, C. W. (2014). Faith in the Just Behavior of the Government: Intergroup Apologies and Apology Elaboration. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 2(1), 268–288. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v2i1.404
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2195-3325
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1352
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1794
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v2i1.404
  • Keyword(s)
    apology elaboration
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    intergroup apology
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    intergroup relations
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    justice norms
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    perceived remorsefulness
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    restorative justice
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Faith in the Just Behavior of the Government: Intergroup Apologies and Apology Elaboration
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    1
  • Journal title
    Journal of Social and Political Psychology
  • Page numbers
    268–288
  • Volume
    2
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record