Appeal To Fear
and
Scare Tactics
Krissy Cross
Definition
 X is presented. It causes fear. Therefore Y (which has
some relationship to X) is true.
 In most cases, this is done by some form of threat,
which may be to the person or to something about
which they care.
 The threat may be physical, emotional or spiritual.
 Examples - 1) I know where you live, and I have friends who like a
good fire.. 2) You know, Professor Smith, I really need to get an A
in this class. I'd like to stop by during your office hours later to
discuss my grade. I'll be in your building anyways, visiting my
father. He's your dean, by the way. I'll see you later."
Picture Analogy
This clown is an appeal to
fear, because a large
amount of people are
highly afraid of clowns.
What makes this particular
clown look so terrifying is
the hooks pulling on it’s
face, the teeth, and the
different colored eyes.
Universal Example
 Fear of heights is one of the most widespread fears
ever. Being not as intimidating as other phobias can
be, people suffering with fear of heights often try to live
with it without getting a help, accommodating their
lifestyle to the limitations.
 A commercial about Allstate Insurance, invoked the
fear of not paying attention while driving and having a
wreck in the process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9Rd-xQgU-g
Example #1
 Parris “You will
confess yourself or I
will take you out and
whip you to your
death, Tituba!”
Putnam “This woman
must be hanged! She
must be taken and
hanged!”
Tituba “No, no, don’t
hang Tituba! I tell him I
don’t desire to work for
him, sir.”
Parris and Putnam were
trying to scare Tituba
into confessing to
witchcraft. Tituba was
fearing for her life.
Parris, Putnam, and Tituba – Act 1 pg. 188
Example #2
 Proctor “Mary, God
damns all liars!”
Proctor was trying to get Mary to
confess to the court that she
hadn’t been involved in witchcraft
and that the girls were only
faking it. She knew that if she
were to lie under oath that she
would’ve committed a sin.
John Proctor – Act 3 pg. 225
Example #3
 Danforth “I cannot
hear you. What do
you say? You will
confess yourself or
you will hang! Do
you know who I am?
I say you will hang if
you do not open
with me!”
Danforth was trying to
frighten Mary with her
life into confessing to be
apart of the witchery.
Mary was so frightened
that she falsely
confessed so that she
wouldn’t hang.
Danforth – Act 3 pg. 225
Works Cited

"Appeal to Fear." Changing Minds and Persuasion -- How We Change
What Others Think, Believe, Feel and Do. Changing Minds, 2012. Web.
20 Feb. 2012.

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
"Fallacy: Appeal to Fear." Holocaust Educational Resource. The Nizkor
Project, 2011.
"Evil Clown." Clown Pictures - The Best Pictures of Clown.
Clownpictures.org, 2010.
"Fear of Heights." Fear of Heights | Fear of Heights. Web. 20 Feb. 2012.