Groups, such as governments and organizations, apologize for their misconduct. In the interpersonal context, the forgiveness-fostering effect of apologies is pronounced when apologizing entails some cost (e.g., compensating damage, canceling a favorite activity to prioritize the apology) because costly apologies tend to be perceived as more sincere than non-costly apologies (e.g., merely saying "sorry"). Since groups lack a mental state (e.g., sincere intention), this could arguably render a group apology ineffective. This research investigated the possibility that people ascribe intention to group agents and that offering a costly group apology is an effective means of fostering perceived sincerity. A vignette study (Pilot Study) showed that costly group apologies tend to be perceived as more sincere than non-costly group apologies. A subsequent functional magnetic resonance imaging study revealed that costly group apologies engaged the bilateral temporoparietal junction and precuneus more so than non-costly group apologies and no apology did. The bilateral temporoparietal junction and precuneus have been implicated in the reasoning of social/communicative intention. Therefore, these results suggest that although a group mind does not exist, people ascribe a mental state (i.e., sincere intention) to a group especially when the group issues a costly apology after committing some transgression.

中文翻译：

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昂贵的团体道歉传达了团体真诚的“意图”。

政府和组织等团体为他们的不当行为道歉。在人际交往中，当道歉需要付出一些代价（例如，补偿损害、取消最喜欢的活动以优先道歉）时，道歉的宽恕促进作用会很明显，因为代价高昂的道歉往往比不付出代价的道歉更真诚。例如，只是说“对不起”）。由于群体缺乏一种精神状态（例如，真诚的意图），这可能会使群体道歉无效。这项研究调查了人们将意图归因于团体代理人的可能性，以及提供昂贵的团体道歉是培养感知诚意的有效手段。一项小插图研究（试点研究）表明，付出代价的集体道歉往往比不付出代价的集体道歉更真诚。随后的功能性磁共振成像研究表明，与不付出代价的集体道歉相比，不付出代价的集体道歉对双侧颞顶交界处和楔前叶的影响更大，而且没有道歉。双侧颞顶交界处和楔前叶与社会/交流意图的推理有关。因此，这些结果表明，虽然不存在群体意识，但人们将一种精神状态（即真诚的意图）归因于一个群体，尤其是当该群体在犯下某些违法行为后发出代价高昂的道歉时。双侧颞顶交界处和楔前叶与社会/交流意图的推理有关。因此，这些结果表明，虽然不存在群体意识，但人们将一种精神状态（即真诚的意图）归因于一个群体，尤其是当该群体在犯下某些违法行为后发出代价高昂的道歉时。双侧颞顶交界处和楔前叶与社会/交流意图的推理有关。因此，这些结果表明，虽然不存在群体意识，但人们将一种精神状态（即真诚的意图）归因于一个群体，尤其是当该群体在犯下某些违法行为后发出代价高昂的道歉时。