When the Underdog Apologizes: The Role of Intergroup Apologies in Historical Intergroup Conflicts.

IF 1.8 4区心理学 Q3 PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL

International Review of Social Psychology Pub Date : 2026-04-08 eCollection Date: 2026-01-01 DOI:10.5334/irsp.1157

Alin Semenescu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Addressing ongoing intergroup conflicts remains a major challenge for social psychologists. The present vignette-based experiment (N = 178) examined a historical conflict between Romanians (the majority group) and Romas (the historically disadvantaged group), exploring the effects of intergroup apologies issued by the disadvantaged group, intergroup contact, and their interaction on forgiveness and trust toward the Romas. The perceived sincerity of the apology and the perceived typicality of the apologizing representatives were examined as potential factors shaping the relationship between the apology and these outcomes. Results show that intergroup contact was positively associated with both forgiveness and trust, while apologies led to increased trust. Perceiving the apology as sincere was associated with greater forgiveness, whereas perceiving the apologizing representatives as typical of their group predicted higher levels of both forgiveness and trust, highlighting the central role of recipients' perceptions. Present findings emphasize that low-power groups can actively contribute to reconciliation processes and provide practical insights for practitioners working in conflict-affected societies.

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当弱者道歉：族群间道歉在历史族群间冲突中的作用。

解决持续的群体间冲突仍然是社会心理学家面临的主要挑战。本实验（N = 178）考察了罗马尼亚人（多数群体）和罗姆人（历史上处于不利地位的群体）之间的历史冲突，探讨了弱势群体发出的群体间道歉、群体间接触及其互动对罗姆人的宽恕和信任的影响。我们考察了道歉的感知真诚度和道歉代表的感知典型性作为影响道歉与这些结果之间关系的潜在因素。结果表明，群体间接触与宽恕和信任均呈正相关，而道歉则会增加信任。认为道歉是真诚的与更多的原谅有关，而认为道歉代表是他们群体的典型，预示着更高水平的原谅和信任，突出了接受者的看法的核心作用。目前的研究结果强调，低权力群体可以积极促进和解进程，并为在受冲突影响的社会中工作的从业者提供实用的见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Review of Social Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL-

CiteScore

5.20

自引率

8.00%

发文量

审稿时长

16 weeks

期刊介绍： The International Review of Social Psychology (IRSP) is supported by the Association pour la Diffusion de la Recherche Internationale en Psychologie Sociale (A.D.R.I.P.S.). The International Review of Social Psychology publishes empirical research and theoretical notes in all areas of social psychology. Articles are written preferably in English but can also be written in French. The journal was created to reflect research advances in a field where theoretical and fundamental questions inevitably convey social significance and implications. It emphasizes scientific quality of its publications in every area of social psychology. Any kind of research can be considered, as long as the results significantly enhance the understanding of a general social psychological phenomenon and the methodology is appropriate.