Interpreting increases in |<i>S_L</i>| due to channel coupling

We present various cases where the coupling of breakup or transfer channels to the elastic channel leads to an increase in the elastic channel |SL| for particular values of L. Particular emphasis is given to 6Li, 7Be, and 8B scattering from 58Ni and 6He scattering from 208Pb, all near the Coulomb barrier. A link is proposed to the fact that 8B has a larger breakup cross section while its elastic scattering angular distribution is less modified by breakup than 6Li and 7Be at the same energy relative to the barrier; an argument is made relating this to non-local processes. We also describe cases of 6He scattering from 208Pb at energies far above the Coulomb barrier, of heavy ion scattering, and of 2H and 3He scattering. The effect is absent in otherwise similar proton scattering cases. The increase in |SL| is associated with strongly absorptive potentials and excitation processes that keep an excited amplitude of the projectile from the absorptive region prior to de-excitation to the elastic channel. The possible relevance to direct reactions is proposed