Work

Common = ineffective? A replication attempt of the normative dilution effect in the context of political apologies

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The normative dilution effect suggests that perceiving a behavior as normative can undermine its effectiveness, particularly in contexts where its communicative value matters. Intergroup apologies offer a compelling test case for this effect, as conveying sincere motives is key to their effectiveness in promoting forgiveness. To date, only one quantitative study (Okimoto, et al., 2015) has tested this effect. We therefore aimed to replicate the normative dilution effect a decade after the original study in two experimental studies. Across two samples of Australian participants ( N total = 1075), we found no evidence supporting the normative dilution effect. When experimentally induced to perceive political apologies as more common, Australian participants did not desire an apology more, perceive apologies as less sincere, report being less willing to forgive Japan for the mistreatment of Australian POWs, or attribute more ulterior motives to the act of apologizing. Additionally, within the control group, we found little support for the pattern of associations among apology commonness, perceived apology sincerity, and willingness to forgive predicted by the normative dilution effect. We discuss the implications of these findings for the theory of the normative dilution effect.

Source: Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2026.104938

Authors: Vlada Trofimchuk, Rebecca Littman

Institution: University of Illinois Chicago

Language: English

Topic: Social and Intergroup Psychology

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,220