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Scarcity of basic needs, such as food, time, or money, has a gripping psychological impact on those without. Environments characterized by scarcity of objects, color, and texture, too, appear to af...

In the wake of corporate transgressions and scandals, how does the apologizer’s insincerity affect the organization’s reputation and its stock market performance? We analyzed the effects of apology insincerity, which we operationalized as the amount of inappropriate facial affect expressed in publically broadcasted apologies for corporate wrongdoing. Data from an archival study and an experiment revealed that insincerity caused decreased corporate performance on their respective stock exchanges and damaged corporate reputations. Moreover, the negative effects of insincerity were exacerbated when the apology was delivered by the organization’s CEO rather than another corporate representative. Ultimately, subtle expressions of insincere remorse at the individual level have consequences for organizations, and we suggest that organizations must carefully consider the status and non-verbal behavior of apologetic representatives in the wake of transgressions.