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An instrumental perspective on apologizing in bargaining: The importance of forgiveness to apologize

Author

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  • Leunissen, Joost M.
  • Cremer, David De
  • Reinders Folmer, Christopher P.

Abstract

Although very little research in bargaining has addressed how perpetrators should deal with the aftermath of unfair allocations, it has been proposed that an apology may help the reconciliation process. Prior research, however, only focused on whether apologies can reveal positive effects on the reconciliation process but did not focus yet on whether perpetrators are actually willing to apologize. In this paper we investigate perpetrator’s willingness to apologize for a trust violation in a bargaining setting. We hypothesized that perpetrators willingness to apologize would be a function of the extent to which the victim of the trust violation is willing to forgive. This effect, however, was expected to emerge only among those perpetrators who are low in dispositional trust. The results from a laboratory study with actual transgressions and actual apologetic behavior supported our predictions and thus emphasize an instrumental view on apologizing in bargaining situations.

Suggested Citation

  • Leunissen, Joost M. & Cremer, David De & Reinders Folmer, Christopher P., 2012. "An instrumental perspective on apologizing in bargaining: The importance of forgiveness to apologize," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 215-222.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joepsy:v:33:y:2012:i:1:p:215-222
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joep.2011.10.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Desmet, Pieter T.M. & Leunissen, Joost M., 2014. "How many pennies for your pain? Willingness to compensate as a function of expected future interaction and intentionality feedback," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 105-113.
    2. Guglielmo Faldetta, 2022. "Forgiving the Unforgivable: The Possibility of the ‘Unconditional’ Forgiveness in the Workplace," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(1), pages 91-103, September.
    3. Steven L. Grover & Marie-Aude Abid-Dupont & Caroline Manville & Markus C. Hasel, 2019. "Repairing Broken Trust Between Leaders and Followers: How Violation Characteristics Temper Apologies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(3), pages 853-870, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Apologies; Perpetrators; Bargaining; Instrumental perspective; Trust game; Forgiveness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights

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