Apologies as a form of politeness have been studied in various contexts over the last years. This paper aims to determine situation- and relationship-dependent differences regarding six different forms of apologies. To do so, a questionnaire containing 19 items was distributed online via social media to various groups of English speakers (N=36). The results partly conform with the existing literature of Deutschmann (2003), but also show that in power relations the need for an apology can come from both parties. Moreover, the most popular forms of apologies were explicit apologies and apologies + the offer of repair, supporting previous studies such as Holmes’ (1990). Due to the small sample and limited comparability, the results must be interpreted with caution and future research is needed to support the findings from the present study.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and brief review of literature
2. The study
2.1. Sample
2.2. Method
3. Results
3.1. Discussion
3.2. Implications
3.3. Limitations
4. Conclusion and Prospects
5. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper investigates how different social situations and relationship dynamics influence the choice of apology strategies among English speakers. The research aims to determine if there is a universal preference for specific forms of apologies and how factors such as relative power and social distance affect the speaker's willingness to take responsibility for an offense.
- Analysis of apology strategies based on Brown & Levinson’s politeness model
- Examination of the impact of relative power (P) and social distance (D) on speech acts
- Comparison of apology forms in diverse social settings (boss, stranger, friend, family)
- Evaluation of offense severity (light, medium, heavy) on the type of apology offered
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction and brief review of literature
Studies on linguistic politeness have been conducted in extensive research since Brown & Levinson’s (1978) work “Universals in language usage: politeness phenomena”. However, this paper is dedicated to a specific subcategory of politeness, the apology. Brown & Levinson (1987) see it as Face-Threatening-Act-oriented (FTA) “culturally stabilized interaction rituals with conventionalised formulae” (p. 235). In other words, there exist culturally specific widely known patterns on how to apologize appropriately. The factors that determine the form of the apology include social distance, power relationships and speaker/addressee needs (Deutschmann, 2003). Holmes (1990) sums up the essence of an apology as follows: "An apology is primarily and essentially a social act. It is aimed at maintaining good relations between participants. To apologize is to act politely, […]" (p. 156). This implies the need for an apology to maintain a good relationship with the other person, regardless of the power relationship between them.
However, it is also known that the relationship to one’s siblings can be considered good, even though apologies often consist of impoliteness, mocking, excuses or “Schadenfreude”, whereas explicit apologies are rare (Schleien, Ross, & Ross, 2010).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction and brief review of literature: This chapter contextualizes the study within existing politeness research and defines the theoretical basis for analyzing apology strategies.
2. The study: This section outlines the research questions and details the methodology, including the participant sample and the design of the online questionnaire.
3. Results: This chapter presents the data gathered from the questionnaire and provides a detailed discussion on the findings regarding different social relationships.
4. Conclusion and Prospects: The final chapter summarizes the key findings and highlights the necessity for further research given the study's limitations.
5. Bibliography: This section lists all academic sources and tools referenced throughout the paper.
Keywords
forms of apologies, politeness, power relations, social distance, responsibility, explicit apology, speech acts, questionnaire, Brown & Levinson, Holmes, Deutschmann, accidental offense, social interaction, cross-cultural communication
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how different apology strategies are employed by English speakers and how these strategies vary depending on the specific situation and the relationship between the involved parties.
What are the central themes investigated?
The central themes include linguistic politeness, the influence of power dynamics (relative power), the impact of social distance, and the severity of offenses on the chosen form of apology.
What is the core research question?
The research asks if there is a generally preferred type of apology, and specifically, whether great power distance requires an explicit apology and if small social distance leads to a minimization of responsibility.
Which scientific methodology was used?
The author conducted a quantitative study using an online questionnaire with 19 items, distributed to 36 participants, and analyzed the results using Jamovi and Microsoft Excel.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the literature review on politeness, the detailed methodology (sample, variables, situation types), the empirical results across different relationships, and an interpretation of these findings.
Which key terms characterize this study?
Key terms include politeness phenomena, social distance, relative power, explicit apology, face-threatening acts, and responsibility minimization.
How does the relationship between employee and employer affect the chosen apology?
The findings suggest that formal relationships with high power distance frequently entail explicit apologies often combined with an offer of repair to maintain professional decorum and avoid losing face.
How do sibling relationships differ regarding apology forms?
Unlike professional or formal relationships, interactions between siblings often exhibit higher levels of informality, sometimes including impoliteness or scapegoating, reflecting a lower social and power distance.
Why are the results of this study considered preliminary?
Due to the small sample size (N=36) and the specific nature of the questionnaire design, the author emphasizes that the findings are not representative of the general population and require further, more uniform research.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Axel Kolbeinsson (Autor:in), 2022, Situation- and relationship-dependent differences regarding six different forms of apologies, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1191793
