The “standard format” for calling the apology API has three pieces:
“I’m sorry”/”I apologize”
Explicitly state the mistake/misdeed
Explicitly state either what you should have done instead, or will do differently next time
Notably, the second and third bullet points are both costly signals: it’s easier for someone to state the mistake/misdeed, and what they’ll would/will do differently, if they have actually updated. Thus, those two parts contribute heavily to the apology sounding sincere.
Expanding on this...
The “standard format” for calling the apology API has three pieces:
“I’m sorry”/”I apologize”
Explicitly state the mistake/misdeed
Explicitly state either what you should have done instead, or will do differently next time
Notably, the second and third bullet points are both costly signals: it’s easier for someone to state the mistake/misdeed, and what they’ll would/will do differently, if they have actually updated. Thus, those two parts contribute heavily to the apology sounding sincere.