Apologies by gender motivation: Facing shame or avoiding it
Social Sciences and Humanities Open, cilt.13, 2026 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 13
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102588
- Dergi Adı: Social Sciences and Humanities Open
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Directory of Open Access Journals
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Apology motives, Gender motivations, Shame management
- Isparta Uygulamalı Bilimler Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Understanding how gender-related motivational orientations shape employees’ emotional regulation and interpersonal repair behaviors is critical for explaining workplace dynamics. In particular, the role of shame processes in apology behavior remains underexplored within organizational contexts. This study explores how gender-based motivations influence apology behavior via apology motives and shame management processes. After excluding 73 participants who failed the control question, analyses were conducted on responses from 309 participants. The results revealed that shame acknowledgment mediates the relationship between gender motivations and apology motives. The results also suggest that even when individuals who adhere to pressured feminine norms engage in shame displacement behavior, their tendency to apologize increases due to motivations such as relationship value and fear of sanctions. These findings highlight that shame displacement does not always lead to reluctance to apologize and underline the importance of gender motivation in shaping apology behavior. Managers can facilitate positive changes in employees' shame and apology strategies by fostering an organizational climate that promotes gender equality and a culture in which employees have equal access to rewards, resources and opportunities. By encouraging autonomous forms of motivation through autonomy support, managers can also facilitate positive changes in employees' shame and apology strategies.