Between applause and arm crossing
Public reception of within‐group apologies and the role of system justification
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21739511 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yeongjin Yu (0000-0002-6839-5331, Chung-Ang University), Taeyun Jung (Chung-Ang University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1529-7489 • E-ISSN: 1530-2415 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/asap.12443 |
| OpenAlex | W4405264217 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 90 |
Within‐group apologies restore important values and afford victims their dignity; however, the system justification motive may cause group authorities to hesitate in apologizing or to include system‐justifying expressions to soothe the general public. Two studies were conducted, both on‐campus (Study 1) and off‐campus (Study 2), to empirically illustrate the public reception of within‐group apologies (victim‐focused and system‐challenging) and silence. The results indicate that higher levels of system justification are associated with more favorable attitudes toward responses from authority. For the general public (Study 2), high‐level justifiers supported the government's silence as much as the victim‐focused apology, maintaining trust despite perceiving unfairness. Conversely, low‐level justifiers, though negative overall, supported victim‐focused apology more than system‐challenging apology or silence. Additionally, the general public in Study 2 favored the victim‐focused apology over the system‐challenging one, rendering system‐justifying expressions unnecessary. We propose that authorities prioritize apologies emphasizing dignity and respect for victims, instead of fearing potential negative reception influenced by the system justification motive
Physics · Forgiveness and Related Behaviors · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Social Psychology
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |