pologizing is how we coexist as imperfect beings. Yet few of us know how to do it well—and not defensively. “We immediately turn to excuses, justifications, reasons why the victim provoked us,” says Karina Schumann, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh who has researched the barriers to apologizing. Just as often, apologies don’t happen at all out of fear that they’ll be uncomfortable or ineffective. But sincere apologies
