Apologies: Genuine Admissions of Blameworthiness or Scripted, Sympathetic Responses?

Abstract

The present study assessed whether apologies, given when an implicit offense is committed, are a product of the perpetrator's attributions of blameworthiness or merely scripted, sympathetic responses given without discrimination. 139 university students were manipulated to commit an implicit offense, accidental bodily contact with a confederate. The attributions that the perpetrator or student made for the incident were then recorded. The participants' attributions for the offense played a negligible role in predicting the elicitation of an apology. However, the participants' sympathy and desire to help the victim were somewhat associated with whether an apology would be delivered. Results suggest that apologies are not necessarily admissions of blameworthiness but may be in many cases scripted and or sympathetic responses.