List and briefly describe the elements of five typical types of accounts put forth by relationship scholar Frank Fincham

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: The five types of accounts are:
1. Apologies include admitting that a failure event occurred, accepting responsibility, and expressing regret.
2. Excuses include admission that the failure event occurred, coupled with a contention that nothing could have been done to prevent the failure; it was due to unforeseen circumstances.
3. Justifications involve accepting responsibility for the event but redefining the event as not a failure.
4. Denials are statements that the failure event never took place.
5. Absence of an account, or silence, involves ignoring the reproaches or refusing to address them.

Communication & Mass Media

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