Abstract:

Apology refers to relationship remedial behavior which happens when the offender realizes his offence, and it aimed to remedy the relationship by admitting his offence, taking the responsibility, expressing regrets, and asking for the forgiveness. The apology behavior has involved a great number of factors, such as offender’s gender, attribution tendency, offending intention and perceived effectiveness. Also, the perceived effectiveness has been influenced on the expression and content of the apology and the offender’s gender. Apology promotes forgiveness, relationship reconciliation, as well as ethnic harmony. Future research need to be clarified the concept of apology, extended the research mode and measurement tools. Besides, researchers should attach importance to constructing apology theory and promoting its practical application which based on the systematic and in-depth examination of the apology mechanism and its results.

Key words: apology, relationship remedy, attribution, forgiveness, reconciliation