
Repairing trust between individuals and groups : the effectiveness of apologies in interpersonal and intergroup contexts
- Author
- Christopher P. Reinders Folmer, Tim Wildschut, Tessa Haesevoets (UGent) , Jonas De keersmaecker, Jasper Van Assche (UGent) and Paul A. M. Van Lange
- Organization
- Abstract
- Transgressions and injustice are an inevitable part of social life, both in interactions between individuals and between groups. But whereas conflict between individuals typically impacts only few, conflict between groups can be harmful to many - as is illustrated by disputes between nations, political parties, and social groups. For this reason, it is crucial to understand how such transgressions can be restored. In interpersonal contexts, there is considerable evidence that apologies can restore transgressions and enable victims and perpetrators to reconcile. It is unknown, however, to what extent their remedial effectiveness may translate to conflicts between groups. The present research illuminates this question. In an experimental study (N = 272), we compared the effectiveness of apologies for restoring trust after transgressions between individuals or groups. Results revealed that both in interpersonal and intergroup contexts, apologies significantly increased trust. However, their impact was greater in interpersonal interactions (where they fully restored trust to its pre-transgression level) than in intergroup interactions (where they failed to fully restore trust). Furthermore, the effectiveness of apologies was shaped by their emotional content. In disputes between individuals, only apologies with secondary emotions fully restored trust. Conversely, in disputes between groups, neither apologies with primary emotions nor those with secondary emotions fully restored trust. This was explained by greater skepticism of apologies in intergroup contexts, particularly of apologies with secondary emotions. These findings underline that intergroup interactions are more competitive and distrusting than interpersonal interactions, and suggest that more extensive remedies may be required to reduce intergroup tensions.
- Keywords
- Social Psychology, apology, trust, reconciliation, forgiveness, intergroup relations, interpersonal relations, DISCONTINUITY, RECONCILIATION, REDUCTION, COMPENSATION, FORGIVENESS, FLEMINGS, EMOTIONS, NEEDS
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Reinders Folmer Wildschut Haesevoets De keersmaecker Van Assche Van Lange 2021 IRSP - Individual versus Group Apologies.pdf
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8745322
- MLA
- Reinders Folmer, Christopher P., et al. “Repairing Trust between Individuals and Groups : The Effectiveness of Apologies in Interpersonal and Intergroup Contexts.” INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, vol. 34, no. 1, 2021, doi:10.5334/irsp.479.
- APA
- Reinders Folmer, C. P., Wildschut, T., Haesevoets, T., De keersmaecker, J., Van Assche, J., & Van Lange, P. A. M. (2021). Repairing trust between individuals and groups : the effectiveness of apologies in interpersonal and intergroup contexts. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.5334/irsp.479
- Chicago author-date
- Reinders Folmer, Christopher P., Tim Wildschut, Tessa Haesevoets, Jonas De keersmaecker, Jasper Van Assche, and Paul A. M. Van Lange. 2021. “Repairing Trust between Individuals and Groups : The Effectiveness of Apologies in Interpersonal and Intergroup Contexts.” INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 34 (1). https://doi.org/10.5334/irsp.479.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Reinders Folmer, Christopher P., Tim Wildschut, Tessa Haesevoets, Jonas De keersmaecker, Jasper Van Assche, and Paul A. M. Van Lange. 2021. “Repairing Trust between Individuals and Groups : The Effectiveness of Apologies in Interpersonal and Intergroup Contexts.” INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 34 (1). doi:10.5334/irsp.479.
- Vancouver
- 1.Reinders Folmer CP, Wildschut T, Haesevoets T, De keersmaecker J, Van Assche J, Van Lange PAM. Repairing trust between individuals and groups : the effectiveness of apologies in interpersonal and intergroup contexts. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. 2021;34(1).
- IEEE
- [1]C. P. Reinders Folmer, T. Wildschut, T. Haesevoets, J. De keersmaecker, J. Van Assche, and P. A. M. Van Lange, “Repairing trust between individuals and groups : the effectiveness of apologies in interpersonal and intergroup contexts,” INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, vol. 34, no. 1, 2021.
@article{8745322, abstract = {{Transgressions and injustice are an inevitable part of social life, both in interactions between individuals and between groups. But whereas conflict between individuals typically impacts only few, conflict between groups can be harmful to many - as is illustrated by disputes between nations, political parties, and social groups. For this reason, it is crucial to understand how such transgressions can be restored. In interpersonal contexts, there is considerable evidence that apologies can restore transgressions and enable victims and perpetrators to reconcile. It is unknown, however, to what extent their remedial effectiveness may translate to conflicts between groups. The present research illuminates this question. In an experimental study (N = 272), we compared the effectiveness of apologies for restoring trust after transgressions between individuals or groups. Results revealed that both in interpersonal and intergroup contexts, apologies significantly increased trust. However, their impact was greater in interpersonal interactions (where they fully restored trust to its pre-transgression level) than in intergroup interactions (where they failed to fully restore trust). Furthermore, the effectiveness of apologies was shaped by their emotional content. In disputes between individuals, only apologies with secondary emotions fully restored trust. Conversely, in disputes between groups, neither apologies with primary emotions nor those with secondary emotions fully restored trust. This was explained by greater skepticism of apologies in intergroup contexts, particularly of apologies with secondary emotions. These findings underline that intergroup interactions are more competitive and distrusting than interpersonal interactions, and suggest that more extensive remedies may be required to reduce intergroup tensions.}}, articleno = {{14}}, author = {{Reinders Folmer, Christopher P. and Wildschut, Tim and Haesevoets, Tessa and De keersmaecker, Jonas and Van Assche, Jasper and Van Lange, Paul A. M.}}, issn = {{2397-8570}}, journal = {{INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY}}, keywords = {{Social Psychology,apology,trust,reconciliation,forgiveness,intergroup relations,interpersonal relations,DISCONTINUITY,RECONCILIATION,REDUCTION,COMPENSATION,FORGIVENESS,FLEMINGS,EMOTIONS,NEEDS}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{1}}, pages = {{15}}, title = {{Repairing trust between individuals and groups : the effectiveness of apologies in interpersonal and intergroup contexts}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/irsp.479}}, volume = {{34}}, year = {{2021}}, }
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