You're not so bad after all: Apologies and guilt promote perceptions of moral restoration after wrongdoing

Abstract

Interpersonal offenses can negatively affect perceptions of a wrongdoer's moral image. People often view wrongdoers as having experienced a lapse in moral judgment and may expect their future moral behavior to be compromised. What can wrongdoers do to restore their moral image in the eyes of others after committing an offense? In the current research, we examined whether wrongdoers who apologize or feel guilty are judged as more likely to show moral restoration in the future. Across five experiments that used hypothetical and recalled offenses, we found that wrongdoers who apologized or felt guilty were perceived as more moral in the future than those who offered no response. These effects were mediated by observers' perceptions that the wrongdoer shared their moral values and was committed to self-improvement. Furthermore, apologies and internal reflections that conveyed private remorse and responsibility were particularly effective in promoting the belief that the wrongdoer and victim should reconcile. This work demonstrates that apologies play an important role in fostering perceptions of moral restoration in the aftermath of an offense. • Tested whether apologies and guilt attenuate slippery slope perceptions. • Found two indirect paths between transgressor response and future moral evaluation. • Tested how transgressor responses impact third-party reconciliation endorsement.