Term
| Why was the Tonya Harding study important? |
|
Definition
- Little work done to date on IR and sports figures.
- Cultural Spectacle
- Public Exposure
- "Civil Religion"
- Prominent example of a sports figure accused of involvement in the deliberate injury of a rival.
- Adds scholarly knowledge about the pervasive persuasive phenomenon. |
|
|
Term
| What IR efforts did Harding use? |
|
Definition
Bolstering
Denial
Attacking the Accuser
Defeasibility
|
|
|
Term
| How did Harding use Bolstering for IR? |
|
Definition
- Reports her ex-husband and mother verbally and physically abuse her.
- Describes her long, hard work on her dream to compete in the Olympics
-Expresses concern for Kerrigan and sorrow over the attack.
- Embraces ideas shared by the audience.
-Promises to contribute to the special olympics. |
|
|
Term
How did Harding use Denial in IR?
|
|
Definition
- Repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
- Rejected accusations of bodyguard and ex-husband.
-Stated "anybody who knows me know it's not true" - confirming tesitmony for her denial.
- Reiterated she did not violate the Olympic Code of Conduct
- Asserted no prior knowledge of the attack. |
|
|
Term
| What was the major problem in Hardings IR efforts of denial? |
|
Definition
Denial shirfte from initial stance, coupled with statements that contradicted each other.
- Blanket denial v. failing to report |
|
|
Term
| How did Harding use Attacking the Accuser as a IR tactic? |
|
Definition
- Attempted to maker her ex-husband look bad in an effort to undermine his charges against her, thus restoring Hardin'g image.
- Creating falsehood
- Abused Harding
- Begs to know "why" ex husband made accusations.
-Claimed fear |
|
|
Term
| How did Harding use Defeasibility as a IR tactic? |
|
Definition
- Claimed that everything "happened so fast"
- Suggest that events were out of her control.
- Claimed she did not go to authorities because she was scared.
- Suggest that she couldn't act freely in regard to the wrongdoings. |
|
|
Term
| What are the two reasons Harding's arguements were weak? |
|
Definition
1. The impression Harding built in the interview clashed with the impression most audience members already had of her.
2. All of her defense rested only on words, not on corresponding evidence presented. |
|
|
Term
| Why were viewers unlikely to believe Harding? |
|
Definition
- Audience may have had reservations about her credibility
- Audience may have believed that evidence was availabele to contradict Harding statement
- It was not clear why Harding waiting until Feb 10th to present her defense, when reputation was threatened in late Jan. |
|
|
Term
| What was Harding's first mistake? |
|
Definition
| Denying all knowledge of the attack. |
|
|
Term
What could Harding have done differently concerning denial?
|
|
Definition
- Could have denied motive to PARTICIPATE in the attack. This would have cheapened her success not to compete against Kerrigan.
- Could have coupled denial of motive with attacking accuser, suggesting that unlike Harding, the bodyguard did have motive to attack Kerrigan. |
|
|
Term
| What could Harding have done differently concerning bolstering? |
|
Definition
- Could have attempted to bolster image by stressing her skating ability.
- Could have mentioned previous charities or donations.
- Should say specific amt. planned for furthur donations. |
|
|
Term
| What should Harding have done when confronted about the lie and blanket denial? |
|
Definition
| Harding should have engaged in mortification and remorse. |
|
|
Term
Implications of Harding Analysis:
How do we judge figures? |
|
Definition
Our judgment is dependent on the discourse they generate.
- The truth may never be revealed. |
|
|
Term
Implications for Harding Analysis;
How is Public opinion often shaped? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Implications of Harding Analysis:
Is it always productive to attempt to establish a new and different impression of oneself? |
|
Definition
| No...sometimes counter productive. |
|
|
Term
Implications of Harding Analysis:
When one commits wrongdoing, what is the right course of action? |
|
Definition
| - Better to admit and express remorse than to lie about it. |
|
|
Term
Implications of Harding Analysis:
If the one attempts to lie, and the truth comes out, what happens?
|
|
Definition
| The accused is doubly to blame. |
|
|
Term
Implications of Harding Analysis:
What should the rhetoric do if they have an obvious credibility problem? |
|
Definition
| The rhetorric should effectively address the problem. |
|
|
Term
Implications of Hardings IR attempts:
What unwise thing happened? |
|
Definition
| Permitting important allegations or incriminating evidence to go unchallenged by the accuser. |
|
|
