 Hey Psych2Goers, and welcome back to another video. Thank you all so much for the love and support that you've given us. It's enabled us to make yet another exploration into everyday psychology. So let's begin. What do you do when you know that you've upset someone? Or what do you expect others to say when they cause you hurt? I am sorry. These three words wield the power of a magic wand. Apologies help renew trust, soothe emotional wounds, and repair damaged relationships. Sincere apologies are key to maintaining a strong, healthy, and meaningful relationship. So why is it so hard for some people to say they're sorry? Fake apologies can feel just as bad as never resuding an apology at all. Fake apologies are manipulative and oftentimes very confrontative. Some people get defensive when you tell them that they've done something wrong and they may react by denying it, playing the victim, making excuses, or shifting the blame onto someone else. With that said, here are seven tell-tale signs that can help you spot an insincere apology. Number one, I'm sorry, but I'm sorry, but I never wanted to do this. I'm sorry, but there was no other way. I'm sorry, but this hurts me as much as it hurts you. Any of these sound familiar to you? An apology followed by a but is a definite red flag. Though the other person is saying they're sorry, they're not really apologizing as they should. Instead, what they're really saying is, I'm the real victim here, not you. I'm hurting too, and my feelings matter more than yours, making you feel like you have no right to expect an apology from them. Two, no, you're taking it all wrong. Have you ever been told you completely missed the point or they're sorry you took something the wrong way? It may sound like a genuine apology at first, but don't be fooled. All they're really doing is acknowledging there's been some sort of miscommunication, but they're not sorry at all about what they said or did to you. They think that just because it wasn't their intention to hurt you, there's no need to feel bad or offended. Three, I'm sorry that you're so sensitive. Do they accuse you of overreacting or say it's not that big of a deal? Do they make it your fault, saying you're being too sensitive when they hurt you? What they're actually doing is trying to shift the blame from them to you by saying that you don't know how to take a joke or you get hurt too easily. They're showing that they lack the empathy to see what they did wrong. What's worse is that they somehow think it's your fault for feeling hurt. Number four, I'm sorry you feel that way. Look, I'm sorry you're hurt, but it's not my fault you feel that way. Wait, what? Anyone who says they're sorry about the way you feel instead of saying sorry about what they did is just trying to defend themselves, not atone for their bad behavior and because they don't want to own up to what they've done, they will try to invalidate your feelings and make you believe you have no one to blame but yourself. Five, I'm sorry you think that. Next is the I'm sorry you think that kind of fake apology. Though it may seem genuine to some, it's nothing but outright manipulation. What they really mean is that you're wrong in your thinking and they're right. They're asserting that they are not at all to blame for the way you have misinterpreted them or misunderstood their actions. They're not taking responsibility for their mistakes but rather forcing you to take responsibility for your perfectly valid feelings. Number six, okay, I'll apologize if. If you've ever fought with a sibling or a classmate when you were younger, you might remember saying these exact words, especially if your parents or your teacher forced you to say sorry and make up. And though the words I'm sorry have to come out of your mouth, you didn't mean it in the slightest bit back then. So why believe someone trying to do the exact same thing to you now? When an apology comes with conditions, the other person is most likely just telling you what you wanna hear. So you'll get off their case or try to get you to apologize first and take all the blame. Definitely sounds like a deal more than an apology. And number seven, I'm sorry, but I only did it because of you. I only said that because you started it or I only did it because you made me. Now, does that sound like someone apologizing? It sounds more like accusing, right? Instead of saying sorry like they should, they're trying to put the blame on you and make you out to be the bad guy. What this fake apology means is, look what you made me do. This is not the person that I am or the way that I usually behave, but you made me like this. You forced me to act this way. They are in denial of what they did and lack the self-awareness to understand that. Although they may have been reacting to you, ultimately their choices were all their own. Suffice it to say, this is as fake an apology as they come. In the end, while it certainly means a lot that the other person would say they're sorry, there's definitely a right and wrong way to go about it. An authentic and heartfelt apology isn't about finding someone to blame or justifying your wrongdoing, but rather showing genuine remorse and owning up to it. When the other person sees how much you mean it and they feel like they can trust you again and move past what happened, then they'll come around. All you need to do is say you're sincerely sorry. Can you tell the signs of a fake apology? Which fake apologies mentioned in this video have you received? What do you suggest for making apologies sincere? You tell us in the comments below. If you found this video helpful, remember to like and share it with others. And don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go for more psychology content. As always, thanks for watching.