Gender Differences In Apology

In the myriad of ways that men and women are comparable, it is also a fact that there are variances between them. One of these differences is the frequency in which women apologize for their transgressions. Dr. Karina Schumann and Michael Ross of the University of Waterloo conducted a research that consisted of two studies that examined if women did in fact apologize more than men and if gender played a role in what is considered an offensive act. For the first study, 66 participants were asked to keep a daily journal of offenses they had committed or someone had perpetrated against them and if whether or not they had offered an apology or an apology was given to them. In the second study, 120 participants were told to rate the severity of an offense, either real or imaginary, and if the offense deserved an apology. At first glance women …show more content…
Occasionally, men may be more sensitive to offenses that violate honor, such as insults or aggression toward family or inappropriate advances toward a romantic partner Although it is likely that men would be offended to a greater degree by these types of offenses, it is unclear whether men would be more likely to apologize for them. If they were more likely, this research would provide further evidence for the importance of including severity thresholds in our understanding of gender differences in apology behavior. Another clarification for future research, the downstream consequences of gender differences in apology behavior should be considered. Meaning, do women interpret the absence of an apology when they have perceived an offense, and if their interpretations differ according to the gender of their transgressor. Also, if men interpret the presence of an apology when they haven’t perceived an offense, and if their interpretations differ according to the gender of their