Chapter 15

Persuasive Speaking

The process of influencing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors

Persuasion

Influencing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of your audience◦ Attitudes are evaluations of people, objects,

ideas, and events◦ Beliefs are how people perceive reality◦ Behavior is how people act or function

The Goals of Persuasive Speaking

Your topic…◦ Should be somewhat controversial◦ Must allow you to develop a message to bring

about change in the audience

Developing a Persuasive Topic & Thesis

Your thesis...◦Is stated as a proposition◦Proposition of Fact

What is or is not

◦Proposition of ValueValue judgment about what something is worth

◦Propositions of PolicyClaims about a course of action to be taken

Developing a Persuasive Topic & Thesis

Understanding your audience’s disposition◦ Receptive audience◦ Hostile audience◦ Neutral audience

Freshmen parking example Social Judgment Theory

◦ Latitude of Acceptance/Rejection (Sherif & Sherif, 1967)

Persuading Your Audience

Understanding your audience’s needs

Persuading Your Audience

Understanding what is relevant to your audienceElaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

Central processing Peripheral processing

Persuading Your Audience

Forms of rhetorical proof◦ Ethos◦ Logos◦ Pathos

Strategies for Persuasive Speaking

Ethos◦ Moral Character◦ Credibility◦ Character◦ Trustworthiness◦ Goodwill

Strategies for Persuasive Speaking

Logos

Reasoning

Inductive reasoning

Deductive reasoning

Strategies for Persuasive Speaking

Pathos◦ Appeals to listeners’ emotions ◦ Should be combined with logical

appeals for lasting effect

Strategies for Persuasive Speaking

Avoiding logical fallacies◦Bandwagon fallacy◦Reduction to the absurd◦Red herring fallacy◦Personal attacks◦Begging the question◦Either-or fallacy◦Appeal to tradition◦The slippery slope fallacy

Strategies for Persuasive Speaking

Problem-Solution Pattern Refutational Organizational Pattern Comparative Advantage Pattern Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

◦Attention◦Need◦Satisfaction◦Visualization◦Action

Organizing Patterns in Persuasive Speaking