| One or Many? Why More Apologizers Hinder Apology Effectiveness |
Received:October 18, 2017 Revised:October 18, 2017 |
Key Words: apology, number, transgression, social distance, empathy |
| Author Name | Affiliation | | Yaxuan Ran* | Zhongnan University of Economics and Law | | Haiying Wei | Jinan University |
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Abstract: |
| Apologies require the apologizer, which can consist of one person or multiple people. But does the number of apologizers influence how consumers interpret and respond to that apology? The current research suggests that a single apologizer tends to prove more effective than multiple apologizers. This effect occurs because consumers feel one person closer than many people, which can trigger stronger empathic response. Documented by one archival study and four experiments, results show that a single apologizer (compared with multiple apologizers) garners higher stock returns (Study 1) and more readily facilitates consumer forgiveness for the company, perceived company integrity, and satisfaction about the apology (Studies 2 and 3). The experiments also show that this effect is mediated by perceived closeness to apologizers and empathic reaction toward apologizers (Study 3).This effect is alleviated or dismissed when multiple apologizers are composed of entitative and united members (Study 4) and the company is previously perceived undesirable (Study 5). These results are robust across a wide range of apology contexts and product categories. Theoretical contributions and marketing implications are discussed. |
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