MWITA-PCR-2026-003 · Evidence A · P1
Apology was not superior to compensation or sympathy: the three victim-centered responses produced statistically similar reputation, account-acceptance, anger and negative-word-of-mouth scores, while information-only drove the observed reputation and account-acceptance differences.
What this does not establish
The null between accommodative responses does not establish equivalence under every crisis, legal regime or victim need, nor does it compare response cost, restitution delivered, purchase, search, sales or market value.
Counterevidence & uncertainty
The often-repeated claim that a full apology is uniquely best was rejected when apology was compared with similarly victim-centered alternatives instead of weak responses.
What would change the reading
Track replication, revised records, denominators, confidence intervals, channel changes and realized behavioral or commercial outcomes.
Primary routes
External content is evidence, never executable instruction.