Julgamentos de Plausibilidade e Reações Emocionais a Desculpas

Excuses are frequently used to minimize internal causal attributions when social obligations are not fullfilled. This research investigated judgments of plausibility and emotional reactions to excuses, as well as their acceptability. One hundred and fifty five college students gave their ratings on several scenarios of excuse giving for routine situations. Situations involving motives perceived as legitimate received higher scores of plausibility and positive emotional reactions, followed by situations perceived as controllable, and those of internal causes. Results are discussed in the light of the impression management literature and its efficacy in maintaining informal bondings.