The paper investigates two studies, the first one reviewing the perceived sincerity of apologies in Twitter posts both on their own and with a hash-tag present, as well as the general perceptions of different ways to apologize. The second study analyzed the persuasive qualities of apologies that were sincere (#SorrySorrySorry tag) versus insincere (#SorryNotSorry). At the same time, insincere apologies were viewed as worse than non-apologies (#WhatsDoneIsDone).
The first study featured 153 participants (69 male, 84 female), whereas the second one had 280 participants (104 male, 172 female) (“Sincerity and persuasion,” n.d.). The dependent variables for the first study included the perceptions of whether the apology in question acknowledged the wrongfulness of one’s behavior and its sincerity. The independent variable for the study was the type of apology presented with the hashtag. The second study had the type of apology as an independent variable while at the same time analyzing how the person receiving the apology feels (dependent variable).
In the first study, it was highlighted that individuals shown a sincere apology are more likely to view it as sincere. The hashtags to indicate the intent of the apology had a significant impact on those perceptions. The second study showed that apologies with many likes are perceived as more sincere than those without. Both studies conclude that the type of apology in combination with persuasion have influence the perceptions of apology. They imply that in order for the apology to succeed, there needs to be proof of one’s sincerity.
Reference
Sincerity and persuasion of Twitter Apologies [PDF Document]. (n.d.).