Goffman asserted that a “counter-uncovering move” was an immediate reaction by one person to an attempted uncovering-move used by another person. After someone discovers and confronts their relationship partner with some potentially damaging personal information, the partner being confronted will likely attempt to redefine the situation in question by couching it in a more favorable light. An analogy of the children’s story Humpty-Dumpty may help illustrate this concept. After an “uncovering move” is used against someone, the person being confronted will likely attempt to “put Humpty back together again” and undo any potential damage the move may cause.
Another way of looking at an “counter-uncovering move” is to say that the person is good at “talking their way out of trouble.” We all know a friend or family member who is skilled at talking their way out of trouble. Some good examples of “counter-uncovering moves” are illustrated in the TWIX candy bar television commercials.
These links are from YouTube. Each of these TWIX candy commercials are great examples of counter-uncovering moves.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5eZ424q758
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQJ2SegGWyc
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyBGRhbdfsU
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh1nZ5lfcco
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STORY:
An example of a common “counter-uncovering move” that exists in many romantic relationships happens when a female partner discovers her male lover’s pornography collection. Normally, when she finds the pornography, she will become upset and will confront him about it. This is a time when the guy will have to think on his feet and try to come up with a reasonable-sounding reason for why he is in possession of it.
In one case I knew about, when the female partner confronted her male lover about having porn on his computer, he made the excuse that it was something he was using for “a college research project.” Although hesitant to accept her lover’s explanation, at the time he was enrolled in a human sexuality course. The boyfriend enacted a believable “counter-uncovering move” by sticking to his guns. He didn’t get defensive, and cooperated with his girlfriend’s line of questioning; all the while remaining calm during the encounter. In the end, her boyfriend was able to talk his way out of trouble.
The overall goal in these counter-uncovering cases is for the accused to get the accuser to believe the redefined meaning of the situation so that they won’t be “in trouble.” Shifting the blame, or “Blame-Shifting,” is normally an effect way of using a “counter-uncovering move.”
EXAMPLE:
“What do you mean by that?”
