Apology and Its Acceptance: Perceived Reconciliatory Attitudes Reduce Outgroup Dehumanization.

ABSTRACT: Based on real-life intergroup animosities originating from a historical conflict, the current study examined how the perceived stance of the outgroup about the conflict affects the dehumanization of the outgroup. In Study 1 (N = 120), Korean undergraduates attributed more human nature to the Japanese after reading an article that the Japanese government did (vs. refused to) issue an official apology for a historical wrong. In turn, the more human nature assigned to the Japanese predicted higher expectations about positive mutual relations in the future. Similarly, in Study 2 (N = 209), Japanese undergraduates attributed more human uniqueness to Koreans after reading an article that an official apology for a historical wrong from Japan was accepted (vs. rejected)

SUBMITTER: Jin WJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9083360 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature