When the Underdog Apologizes: The Role of Intergroup Apologies in Historical Intergroup Conflicts

Addressing ongoing intergroup conflicts remains a major challenge for social psychologists. The present vignette-based experiment (N = 178) examined a historical conflict between Romanians (the majority group) and Romas (the historically disadvantaged group), exploring the effects of intergroup apologies issued by the disadvantaged group, intergroup contact, and their interaction on forgiveness and trust toward the Romas. The perceived sincerity of the apology and the perceived typicality of the apologizing representatives were examined as potential factors shaping the relationship between the apology and these outcomes. Results show that intergroup contact was positively associated with both forgiveness and trust, while apologies led to increased trust. Perceiving the apology as sincere was associated with greater forgiveness, whereas perceiving the apologizing representatives as typical of their group predicted higher levels of both forgiveness and trust, highlighting the central role of recipients’ perceptions. Present findings emphasize that low-power groups can actively contribute to reconciliation processes and provide practical insights for practitioners working in conflict-affected societies.