Passionate apologies: understanding apologizing behaviour using the dualistic model of passion

Abstract

Research on the dualistic model of passion has shown that people’s responses to adversity while pursuing passionate activities are associated with both harmonious passion (HP) and obsessive passion (OP). In this research we focused on a specific type of adversity, an interpersonal transgression, and tested if HP and OP predict different apologizing tendencies. University students (N = 395) read a hypothetical scenario that described making a mistake that negatively affected a peer. They then reported their apologizing behaviour in response to the scenario. We found that HP predicted a greater likelihood of apologizing to the peer and endorsing more comprehensive apology statements, whereas OP predicted a lower likelihood of apologizing and endorsing more defensive apology statements. These results contribute to our understanding of how and when HP and OP can impact the relationships people have while pursuing activities they love.