Public Speaking Chapter Sixteen Understanding Principles of
Persuasive Speaking
Slide 2
Persuasion Defined O Efforts to persuade you occur at an
average rate of once every 2 minutes per day. O Persuasion is the
process of changing or reinforcing attitudes, beliefs, values, or
behavior. O Attitudes represent our likes and dislikes (a learned
predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably toward
something).
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Persuasion Defined O A belief is what you understand to be true
or false. O If you believe something, you are convinced that it
exists or is true. O Beliefs are typically based on past
experience, O Beliefs are usually based on evidence, but we hold
some beliefs based on faith we have not directly experienced
something, but we believe it anyway.
Slide 4
Persuasion Defined O A value is an enduring concept of right or
wrong, good or bad. O If you value something, you think of it as
good or desirable and its opposite as negative or bad. O If you do
not value something, you are indifferent to it. O Values form the
basis of your life goals and the motivating force behind your
behavior. O Most Americans value honesty, trustworthiness, freedom,
loyalty, family, and money. O Values are deeply ingrained, usually
based on long- held values and are difficult to modify.
Slide 5
Persuasion Defined O Values are the most difficult to modify. O
Beliefs are usually changed by evidence. O Attitude are easier
changed than both beliefs and values. O Think carefully about your
speech purpose and know whether your objective is to change or
reinforce an attitude, belief, or value. O Then, decide what you
need to do in order to achieve your message.
Slide 6
A Classical Rhetoric Approach to Understanding Persuasion O
When the goal is to persuade, the communicator selects symbols to
change attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior. Aristotle
identified three methods to persuade: ethos, logos, and pathos. O
Ethos is a speakers credibility. O In order to be credible, a
public speaker should be ethical, possess good character, have
common sense, and be concerned for the well-being of the audience.
O The more credible a speaker is determined to be, the greater the
chances that he or she will be able to persuade the audience.
Slide 7
A Classical Rhetoric Approach to Understanding Persuasion O
Logos means the word. It is the rational, logical arguments that a
speaker uses to persuade someone. O A skilled persuader not only
reaches a logical conclusion, but also supports the message with
evidence and reasoning. O Pathos is the appeal to emotion. O
Sometimes, we hold attitudes, values, or beliefs that are not
logical, but that just make us feel positive. At the same time, we
do or but things to make us feel happy, positive, or
energized.
Slide 8
A Classical Rhetoric Approach to Understanding Persuasion O Use
emotion or strong stories and concrete examples, as well as
pictures and music. O All three of these means of persuasion
(ethos, logos, and pathos) are ways of motivating a listener. O
Motivation is the internal force that drives people to achieve
their goals.
Slide 9
A Classical Rhetoric Approach to Understanding Persuasion O
Several factors motivate people: O the need to restore balance to
their lives to avoid stress O the need to avoid pain O the desire
to increase pleasure
Slide 10
ELM: A Contemporary Approach to Understanding Persuasion O The
ELM (Elaboration likelihood model of persuasion) is the theory that
people can be persuaded by logic, evidence, and reasoning, or
through a more peripheral route that may depend on the credibility
of the speaker, the sheer number of arguments, or emotional
appeals.
Slide 11
ELM: A Contemporary Approach to Understanding Persuasion O The
ELM describes how audience members interpret persuasive messages.
It is an audience-centered theory of how people make sense of
persuasive communication. O There are two ways that you can be
persuaded: by a direct, logical route where you think critically or
by in indirect route where you are persuaded by a general
impression of what you are hearing.
Slide 12
ELM: A Contemporary Approach to Understanding Persuasion O To
elaborate means to think about the information, ideas, and issues
related to the content of the speech that you are listening to. O
You simply have an overall impression.
Slide 13
ELM: A Contemporary Approach to Understanding Persuasion O The
Direct Persuasion Route O You carefully and thoughtfully consider
the facts and then make a thoughtful decision as whether to believe
or do what the persuader wants. O The Indirect Persuasion Route O
When you do not elaborate on a message, you can be persuaded by
such indirect factors as catchy music in an advertisement or the
salesman O If you cannot identify why you are persuaded by
something, you are most likely being persuaded by indirect
factors.
Slide 14
How to Motivate Listeners O Persuasion works because listeners
are motivated to respond to a message. O An audience is more likely
to be persuaded if you help members solve their problems or meet
their needs. O They can also be motivated if you convince them good
things will happen to them if follow your advice (or that bad
things will happen to them if they do not).
Slide 15
How to Motivate Listeners O Use Dissonance O The dissonance
theory is based on the principle that people strive to solve
problems and manage stress and tension in a way that is consistent
with their attitudes, beliefs, and values. O Most people seek to
avoid problems or feelings of dissonance.
Slide 16
How to Motivate Listeners O Cognitive Dissonance is the sense
of mental discomfort that prompts a person to change when new
information conflicts with previously organized thought patterns. O
Creating dissonance with a persuasive speech can be an effective
way to change attitudes and behavior. O The first step is to
identify a problem or a need.
Slide 17
How to Motivate Listeners O It is important that when using the
dissonance theory to persuade, you have an ethical responsibility
to not use false claims. O Claiming that a problem exists when it
really does not or creating dissonance about a problem that is
unlikely to happen is unethical.
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How to Motivate Listeners O How listeners cope with dissonance:
O Discredit the source O Reinterpret the message O The listeners
hear what they want to hear O Seek new information O They may look
for additional information to negate your opinion. O Stop Listening
O Change their attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior
Slide 19
How to Motivate Listeners O Use Listener Needs O Need is one of
the best motivators. O Abraham Maslow identified a hierarchy of
needs that motivate everyones behavior. (While the hierarchy aspect
of the needs does not always apply, the needs themselves can be
used as a checklist of what could potentially motivate
listeners.
Slide 20
How to Motivate Listeners O Maslows Hierarchy of Needs O
Physiological needs O The most basic: air, water, and food. O
Safety Needs O We all need to feel safe, secure, and protected. O
Social Needs O We all need to feel loved and valued. O Self-esteem
Needs O We need to think well of ourselves. O Self-Actualization
Needs O We need to realize our highest potential.
Slide 21
How to Motivate Listeners O Use positive motivation O Positive
motivational appeals are statements suggesting that good things
will happen if the speakers advice is followed. O You must know
what your listeners value. O Emphasize benefits, not just features.
O A benefit is a good result or something that creates a positive
feeling for the listener. O A feature is simply a characteristic of
whatever it is that you are talking about. O When using positive
motivational appeals, be sure your listeners know how the benefits
of your proposal can improve the quality of their lives or of their
loved ones.
Slide 22
How to Motivate Listeners O The use of a threat is often most
effective. O A strong threat to a loved one tends to be more
successful than a threat to audience members themselves. O The more
competent, trustworthy, or respected the speaker, the greater the
likelihood that the appeal will be successful. O Fear appeals are
more successful if you can convince your listeners that the threat
is real and will probably happen unless they take the action you
suggest.
Slide 23
How to Motivate Listeners O In general, increasing the
intensity of the fear increases the chances that the fear appeal
will be successful. O Fear appeals are most successful if you can
convince your listeners that they have the power to make a change
that will reduce the threat.
Slide 24
How to Develop Your Persuasive Speech O Consider the audience O
Develop a message that anticipates as best as you can what you
audience may be thinking or feeling O Consider audience diversity O
be culturally sensitive to your audience O dont design a message
using strategies that would be effective only for you or those from
your background
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How to Develop Your Persuasive Speech O Remember your ethical
responsibilities O do not fabricate evidence or try to frighten
your listeners based on information that you know is not true O
Select and narrow your topic O controversial issues are great
topics for persuasive speeches O pay attention to the media and
other sources of information O stay current on important
issues
Slide 26
How to Develop Your Persuasive Speech O Determine your
persuasive purpose O The social judgment theory says that when
listeners are confronted with a persuasive message, their responses
can be classified into one of three categories: O latitude of
acceptance (agree with the speaker) O latitude of rejection
(disagree with speaker) O latitude of noncommitment (unsure of how
to respond)
Slide 27
How to Develop Your Persuasive Speech O You probably wont get
most listeners to fully change their values or beliefs, but if you
can get them to at least move toward being more noncommittal and
less rejecting, it is a good start towards your goal O Develop your
central idea and main ideas O a proposition is a statement with
which you want your audience to agree O ex: All students should get
to leave for lunch.
Slide 28
How to Develop Your Persuasive Speech O Proposition of Fact O
focuses on whether something is true or false or did or did not
happen O ex: Al Gore received more votes than George Bush in 2000.
O Proposition of Value O a statement that calls for the listener to
judge the worth or importance of something O ex: English is better
than Math.
Slide 29
How to Develop Your Persuasive Speech O Proposition of Policy O
advocates a specific action O ex: The government should give
veterans more benefits.
