Dr. Karina Schumann is an assistant professor and the social program chair in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on identifying factors that help people successfully manage their conflicts and respond to challenging social interactions in prosocial ways. She leads the Conflict Resolution (CORE) Lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Karina joins Grant for an in-depth exploration of apologies, forgiveness, and intellectual humility. Together they discuss why public apologies seem fake, what elements are necessary for an effective apology, and why women apologize more than men.
Apologies, forgiveness, revenge—constructive or destructive responses to conflict
Do growth mindsets—growing and changing your personality—have a role in conflict resolution?
Interpersonal apologies happen in everyday life when one person offends another
Public apologies happen on the public stage and can come from governments, corporations, celebrities, or politicians
Public apologies are met with immediate reactions of cynicism and disbelief
We live in a culture of apology, where frequency devalues public expressions of remorse
Apologies are the single most important factor in restoring relationships
Interpersonal apologies are transformative actions
Forgiveness is the holy grail of conflict resolution
Three core elements of a good apology: an apology statement, acceptance of responsibility, and an offer of repair
The magnitude gap explains whey transgressors may feel their actions are less severe or more justifiable
An apology repairs one’s moral self-image, even though it requires associating oneself with immoral, bad, or incompetent action
Transgressors underestimate the effectiveness of apologies
Why not offer online “apology education” workshops?
Women apologize more often than men do because they perceive offenses as more severe
Because of social dominance orientation, conservatives tend to feel more comfortable than liberals in saying there’s a hierarchy in society
Perhaps liberals have a greater inclination to hold people accountable for misbehavior?
Public apologies can send a powerful message about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors
It’s time for the US government to apologize for slavery
Leader-to-leader apologies and grass roots apologies can make public apologies more effective
Apologizing to God can be thought of as an interpersonal apology
Intellectual humility means acknowledging that one’s understanding is limited and fallible
Links:
“Government Apologies for Historical Injustices”
“The Benefits, Costs, and Paradox of Revenge”
“Who Accepts Responsibility for Their Transgressions?”
“In the Apology Era, Sorry Seems to be the Easiest Word”
“Apologies demanded yet devalued: Normative dilution in the age of apology”
“The magnitude gap: Revealing differences in recall between victims and perpetrators”
“Forecasting Errors in the Averseness of Apologizing”
“Study Reveals Why Women Apologize So Much”
“Social Dominance Orientation: A Personality Variable Predicting Social and Political Attitudes”
“Conservatives Are More Reluctant to Give and Receive Apologies Than Liberals”
“Apologies versus Denials during the #MeToo Movement: Did Either Work?”
Australia’s Stolen Generations
“A Relationship with God? Connecting with the Divine to Assuage Fears of Interpersonal Rejection”