The reduction of interpersonal risk: Social basis of apology

Trustful relationships are at the heart of fruitful cooperation within groups of people. But you’ve probably hurt a friend before, either accidentally or intentionally. Such repeated situations will create distrustful agents who will destroy any possibility of cooperation. Dr Komiya investigates the role of apology, with or without compensation, in the way people protect their relationships. For example, if you pour coffee on a book you have borrowed from a friend, a way to compensate is not only to apologize but also to buy another copy of the book.
Such an act of compensation surely facilitates the victim’s forgiveness, but its mitigating effect seems to vary across cultures. The findings of Dr Komiya’s research will bring new data on how people overcome interpersonal risks*. Her result could be of interest to managers of international companies and lawyers, as well as people who are concerned with general resolutions of conflicts within and across cultures.