The Persuasive Process
Chapter 14
After completing this chapter, you
will be able to
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define persuasion and describe the persuasive
process
analyze listeners’ needs and positions
create logical, emotional, and credibility appeals
demonstrate ethical standards
identify false persuasion strategies
construct and deliver a persuasive message
evaluate persuasive messages
discuss the ethics of persuasion
Persuasion is a communication
process with a goal of influencing
other people.
A persuasive message is a
communication strategy designed
to change a listener’s beliefs or
behavior or to move a listener to
action.
To persuade an audience, a
speaker must focus on the
RECIEVERS of the persuasive
message.
A successful persuader tries to
influence his/her audience by
putting them in a mental state of
conflict.
Persuasion is a very powerful
communication process. In its
simplest form, you are making an if
and then argument:
If you do this, then good things will
happen or bad things will be
avoided.
There are two factors you have to
consider as you develop your
persuasive competence:
1. ethics
2. impact
Ethical persuaders do not ignore
information that might weaken their
positions.
They consider both sides,
acknowledge what might be
important points on the opposing
side, note why they disagree with
some or all of those points, and try
to convince the listeners why their
positions are stronger.
Steps in the Persuasive Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Decide on an audience goal.
Analyze the listeners.
Create logical, emotional, and credibility
appeals.
Organize and deliver the persuasive
message.
Evaluate your effectiveness.
To become a competent persuader,
you must analyze your listeners to
identify
(1) their needs and
(2) their positions on your topic.
Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Human Needs
Listener Positions
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Supportive Listeners
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Uncommitted Listeners
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have no set opinion
Indifferent Listeners
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agree with your ideas
don’t yet care
Opposed Listeners
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are hostile toward your topic
or ideas
The Greek philosopher Aristotle
first prescribed the three strategies
for persuasive speaking.
He called them logos (logic),
pathos (emotion), and ethos
(credibility).
Types of Appeals
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Logical Appeals
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Emotional Appeals
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use solid evidence and sound reasoning
use listeners’ feelings to persuade them
Credibility Appeals
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make a speaker believable
You can test evidence with the
following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Is
Is
Is
Is
Is
it fact or opinion?
it current?
the source credible?
it relevant?
it valid or representative?
Logical Appeals
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Definitions
Facts
Statistics
Examples
Expert testimony
Types of Reasoning
Inductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning
involves using specific
pieces of information to
make a general
conclusion.
involves using a general
idea to reach a
conclusion about a
specific case.
Small to Big
Big to Small
It is important to test inductive reasoning by
looking at the connection between evidence
and conclusion.
You need to consider these factors:
1.
2.
3.
Are there enough examples?
Are they topical?
Are there important exceptions
or special cases?
When you use deductive reasoning, you
need to test it by asking yourself the
following questions:
1.
2.
3.
Is the general
statement true?
Is the specific
example true?
Does the specific
example apply the
the general
statement?
Cause and effect reasoning
suggests the one event produces a
second.
Emotional Appeals
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Guilt
Fear
Freedom
Justice
Greed
Patriotism
Belonging
Anger
Happiness
Credibility Appeals
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Believability
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Demonstrate your knowledge of a topic.
Ethical Standards
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Conform to acceptable standards of conduct.
Recognize competing or opposing points of
view.
Demonstrate that you have done careful
research (Tell us your sources).
Sometimes speakers use incorrect or
misleading appeals, called faulty
appeals, to try to persuade their
audience members.
False Persuasive Strategies
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Defective Evidence (flawed information)
Slippery Slope (once something happens it establishes a
trend and other things)
Red Herring (not related to topic)
Glittering Generalities (vague, general statements)
Card Stacking (piling up information on one side of an
issue with little backing)
Bandwagon Appeal (do something because everyone
else is)
Unrelated Testimonials (link things that are not related)
Name-calling (attacking the other person, not their
ideas)
Organizing the Persuasive Speech
1.
2.
3.
Statement of
Reasons
Problem-Solution
Motivated Sequence
Statement of Reasons
For supportive listeners, just listing three or
four reasons may be enough to get your
message across and inspire them to act on
your proposal.
Problem-Solution
When using the problem-solution
organization, the speaker describes the
problem, relating consequences or reasons
to be concerned, and then describes ways
to solve the problem.
Motivated, or Hey-You-See-So, Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hey, look or listen to me!
You need to here what I’m saying.
See what I can do for you!
So, what are you going to do about it?
Effective Persuaders follow these guidelines
for preparing a persuasive argument:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Use a variety of supports rather than only one
type.
Make the links between the supports and the
main ideas clear.
Anticipate objections and address them
directly.
Keep listeners’ interests and concerns in mind.
Don’t think, “What would persuade me?” Ask,
“What would persuade these listeners?”
You can evaluate a persuasive
message by asking
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How credible is the speaker?
What logical appeals are being used by
the speaker?
What emotional appeals are being used?
Are they appropriate?
To what extent does the message reflect
an understanding of both sides on the
issue?
What, if anything, is unsaid or overlooked?
Summary
Effective persuaders use the following
steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Decide on an audience goal.
Analyze the listeners.
Create logical, emotional, and credibility
appeals.
Organize and deliver the message.
Evaluate the message’s effectiveness.