of the offended party: they answer the basic human need for disagreeable emotions to be recognised and acknowledged as important, while protecting the apparently offending party from an expression of remorse. Negotiators often use this tactic to calm tense situations: "an apology can defuse emotions effectively, even when you do not acknowledge personal responsibility for the action or admit an intention to harm. An apology may be one of the least costly and most rewarding investments you can make." See also Equivocation Evasion (ethics) Logical fallacies Non-denial denial Spin (propaganda) Weasel words Mistakes were made References Further reading Public relations techniques Obfuscation Political catchphrases Etiquette Cognitive dissonance