E-Book Overview
In our constantly plugged-in and connected world, image is everything. People, groups, organizations, and countries frequently come under suspicion of wrongdoing and sometimes require defense. This fully updated edition of the 1994 volume investigates the situations in which threats to image arise and describes the image-repair strategies that may be used to help defuse these threats, such as denial and apology. The author reviews various theories on image repair, and extends prior research on the topic to include work on persuasion or attitude change. Five contexts for image repair are examined: corporate, political, sports/entertainment, international, and third party (when one person or organization tries to repair the image of another). New case studies include the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Anthony Weiner, Lance Armstrong, Apple s apology to China over the iPhone, and Prime Minister David Cameron s apology for Bloody Sunday."
E-Book Content
Accounts, Excuses, and Apologies S E CO N D E D I T I O N
Accounts, Excuses, and Apologies S E CO N D E D I T I O N
IMAGE REPAIR THE ORY AND RESEARCH
William L. Benoit
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2015 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu Production by Ryan Morris Marketing by Anne M. Valentine Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Benoit, William L. Accounts, excuses, and apologies: image repair theory and research / William L. Benoit.—Second edition. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4384-5399-6 (hardcover: alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-4384-5398-9 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Discourse analysis. 2. Verbal self-defense. 3. Rhetorical criticism. I. Title. P302.87.B46 2014 401'.41—dc23 2014002125 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
List of Illustrations
vii
Preface
ix
1
Communication, Persuasion, and Image Repair
1
2
Image Repair Theory
13
3
Corporate Image Repair
47
4
Political Image Repair
63
5
Sports/Entertainment Image Repair
75
6
International Image Repair
87
7
Third Party Image Repair
97
8
Conclusion
123
References
133
Author Index
149
Topic Index
153
Illustrations
Figure 1.1 Communication, Crisis Communication, and Image Repair
4
Table 2.1
Image Repair Strategies
28
Table 2.2
Image Repair Strategies and Fishbein and Ajzen’s Theory of Reasoned Action
30
Relationship of Image Repair Strategies and the Elements of Persuasive Attack
31
SCCT Crisis Type and Appropriate Crisis Response Strategy
36
Table 2.5
SCCT Postures and Crisis Response Strategies
37
Table 7.1
Image Repair from Secretary of State Rice, First Lady Bush, and President Bush
Table 2.3 Table 2.4
vii
117
Preface
The central theme of this book is that human beings engage in recurrent patterns of communicative behavior designed to repair, reduce, redress, or prevent damage to their image (reputation or fac