Apologies: Words of magic? The role of verbal components, anger reduction, and offence severity.

Across various disciplines apologies are discussed as an instrument of conflict transformation. Questions regarding “how” and “why” apologies contribute to resolving conflicts need to be illuminated further. These questions are addressed in two experimental vignette studies in Germany. Study 1 supports the idea that the inclusion of more verbal elements in an apology increases forgiveness, especially after a more severe offense. The study also reveals that the relationship between the completeness of apology and forgiveness is mediated by anger reduction. Study 2 demonstrates that for a more severe offense four elements of apology are particularly relevant, namely conveying emotions, admitting fault, a statement of apology such as “I apologize,” and an attempt at explanation. Implications for conflict transformation and further scholarly inquiries are discussed.