MARIA CZEMPKA: Public apologies - yesterday and today

The article is devoted to public apologies, which appeared in the press in 50`s, 60`s 70`s of the 20th century, and also to a few apologies which were published in the recent years. Apology is a conventional cultural and speech act, which plays a major role in social and political life on both international and regional scale. I would like to concentrate on the perlocutionary act of apology, that is the effect which it causes and how the sender-receiver situation takes place. Who is the proper receiver of social act of apologies? Interesting things are the psycho-social mechanisms which accompany the question mentioned above. A very important effect is the element of shame which arises from the necessity to confess the guilt. Apologies may have, however influence on the positive picture of the receiver. They can make one to be seen in the eyes of the social opinion as a person, who shows emotions. The act of apology may be the part of the game and manipulation.