I'm Sorry About the Rain! Superfluous Apologies Demonstrate Empathic Concern and Increase Trust

A.W.  Brooks; H.  Dai; M.E.  Schweitzer

Article | Social Psychological & Personality Science | May 2014

I'm Sorry About the Rain! Superfluous Apologies Demonstrate Empathic Concern and Increase Trust

by A.W. Brooks, H. Dai and M.E. Schweitzer

Abstract

Existing apology research has conceptualized apologies as a device to rebuild relationships following a transgression. As a result, apology research has failed to investigate the use of apologies for outcomes for which individuals are obviously not culpable (e.g., apologies for heavy traffic or bad weather). In this paper, we define superfluous apologies as expressions of regret for an undesirable circumstance for which the apologizer is clearly not responsible. Across four studies, we find that issuing a superfluous apology demonstrates empathic concern, which motivates an increase in trust and liking.

Keywords: superfluous apology; apology; trust; benevolence-based trust; empathy; stochastic trust game; Trust; Emotions; Societal Protocols;

Format: Print

Find at Harvard Read Now

Citation:

Brooks, A.W., H. Dai, and M.E. Schweitzer. "I'm Sorry About the Rain! Superfluous Apologies Demonstrate Empathic Concern and Increase Trust." Social Psychological & Personality Science 5, no. 4 (May 2014): 467–474.

In 2015, Amit Bendov was struck by a realization about a new technology that might be able to transcribe musical notation in real-time, which eventually became known as Gong. Gong’s business proposition was simple: provide software that automatically captures, understands, and analyzes written and spoken sales conversations (not music) to help sales teams sell more effectively. It was a compelling idea with the potential to create significant value for its users. There were, however, many questions. Could the technology live up to its promises? What could salespeople learn from their own conversations and from the best - and worst - salespeople among them? Could leveraging conversational insights make a measurable impact on a company’s bottom line? And how could Gong defend against competitors, both now and in the future?

Humor is widely considered essential in personal relationships, but in leaders, it’s seen as an ancillary behavior. Though some leaders use humor instinctively, many more could wield it purposefully. Humor helps build interpersonal trust and high-quality work relationships and influences behaviors and attitudes that matter to leadership effectiveness, including employee performance, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and creativity.
These benefits don’t come without potential costs. The guidelines in this article suggest ways to capture the benefits of humor while avoiding the downside risks.

Faculty & Research

I'm Sorry About the Rain! Superfluous Apologies Demonstrate Empathic Concern and Increase Trust

Abstract

Citation:

About the Author

More from the Author