Emotional responses to intergroup apology mediate intergroup forgiveness and retribution

According to intergroup emotion theory, the impact of many intergroup events on intergroup outcomes is mediated by group-directed emotions. We demonstrate that the ability of apology to reduce retribution against and increase forgiveness of a transgressing outgroup is contributed to by discrete intergroup emotions. We examined both negative (anger and fear) and positive (respect and satisfaction) emotions directed toward the transgressing outgroup. Apology reduced the desire for retribution whereas lack of apology increased it, and outgroup-directed anger uniquely mediated this effect. In contrast, apology increased and lack of apology decreased forgiveness, particularly when the ingroup responded to the transgression, and only outgroup-directed respect mediated this effect. These results provide the first evidence that intergroup emotions can mediate the impact of apology on intergroup relations outcomes.

► Change in emotions directed at an apologizing outgroup mediated the impact of apology on intergroup relations.
► Anger partially mediated the effect of apology on retributive intentions, whereas respect played this role for forgiveness.
► Effect of apology on forgiveness was muted if ingroup members had not reacted strongly to the original transgression.
► Extends Intergroup Emotion Theory by showing that discrete emotions can ameliorate intergroup conflict.