If you\u2019ve ever apologized after bumping into a doorframe, this is for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve all done it, but some of us do it more than others: saying \u201cSorry!<\/a>\u201d after bumping into a doorframe or \u201cExcuse me!\u201d while nudging past a chair in the privacy of our own homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re one of the people who apologize to inanimate objects, you\u2019re not alone. It\u2019s common for people to apologize for things that are out of our control, in general. In fact, about a quarter of Americans<\/a> do it every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even better, if you\u2019ve recently apologized to your refrigerator, it actually says a lot about you, most of it good. Psychologists<\/a> say people who apologize reflexively like this, even to nonliving things, likely share these personality traits<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For some people, it simply doesn\u2019t register when they bump into a sofa or accidentally kick the coffee table. Others notice immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c[A] typical characteristic of these people is that they appear to be aware of themselves,\u201d said Dr. Robert Davies, a board-certified psychiatrist at Chroma Wellness Center<\/a>. \u201cPeople who have been known to say \u2018sorry\u2019 after hitting a chair with an elbow or closing the door just a little bit too strongly are generally very sensitive about how others see them in relation to what they do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stacy Sheller, a licensed marriage and family therapist at The Grove Recovery Community<\/a>, adds that these people are not just highly aware of themselves, but of their surroundings and routines as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey are in no way apologizing for their wrongdoing. Rather, it\u2019s the recognition of the break in routine that leads to an expression of regret,\u201d Sheller said, adding that they tend to pick up on little details around them that others miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing the polite and courteous thing when no one\u2019s even watching? That\u2019s a sign of good character, even if the polite thing is saying \u201csorry\u201d to the curb for bumping it with your car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen someone says \u2018sorry\u2019 for accidentally dropping a spoon or for slamming a door too loudly, he or she is demonstrating that being courteous has become part of his\/her personality rather than just something to do because of social norms,\u201d Sheller said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Davies agreed: \u201cPeople who have this type of behavior will typically exhibit some form of empathy, conscientiousness, and a higher level of sensitivity toward the social environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interestingly, people who apologize to objects aren\u2019t actually apologizing, per se. They aren\u2019t trying to soothe the doorframe they just bumped into. Rather, they\u2019re soothing themselves and regulating their own reactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAn apology is an easy way to help someone emotionally \u2018recharge\u2019 right after a surprise. The person doesn\u2019t think about their anger first; they immediately respond with something like this, which will help them calm down again,\u201d Sheller said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moriah O\u2019Barr, PsyD and co-clinical director at Cultivating Courage Psychological Services<\/a>, adds that these types of apologizers may be highly anxious people by nature. The reflexive \u201csorry\u201d is just one tool they use to self-regulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen someone runs anxious or is super sensitive to others and surroundings then they may find the \u2018sorry\u2019 as soothing to their own reaction,\u201d O\u2019Barr said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Self-aware<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Highly conscientious<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Good at self-regulating<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Courteous and kind<\/h2>\n\n\n\n