COMM108: Ch.9

Type of Propositions 

Fact, Value, Policy

Proposition of Fact

Assertions that can be proven or disproven as consistent with reality

Proposition of Value: 

Statements regarding what we should embrace as important within our culture

Proposition of Policy:

Proposals of new rules, plans, strategies, behaviors, regarding how we should go about achieving a goal

Elaboration Likelihood Models (E.L.M)

The mental state of the receiver or the audience, determines the type and level of influence

1. Must know if a brain at the moment is passive or active in the processing of information

Elaboration Likelihood Models (E.L.M): Mental State

Refers to her or his willingness and ability to think  (WAT)

Elaboration Likelihood Models (E.L.M): Arguments

The information that bears upon the central merits of the persuasion topic from the receiver's point of view

- substance: stats, facts, narratives

Elaboration Likelihood Models (E.L.M): Cues

Variables that influence without requiring much thought on the part of the receiver or the audience

CENTRAL route to persuasion

WATTAGE: High

PROCESSING: Arguments

POTENTIAL OUTCOMES: Long term influence

PERIPHERAL route to persuasion

WATTAGE: Low

PROCESSING: Cues

POTENTIAL OUTCOMES: Short term influence

Effective use of the ELM:

Learn to monitor and control your audiences's mental state (big ask, big statement)

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: skip nothing 

1. Attention

2. Need

3. Satisfaction

4. Visualization

5. Action

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: Attention

Get the audience's attention, use a device: quote, fact, stat

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: Need

Present an examination of the current situation

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: Satisfaction

Presents a policy and suggest how that policy would overcome the problem

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: Visualization

A look into the future, can be done positively and negative

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: Action

Summary of my arguments, its conclusion, specific behavioral request

Fear Appeals: Description

Enlisting an emotion to change an attitude or behavior

Strong Intensity Fear Appeal:

- The receiver responds with logic (possible but not probable)

- "It wont happen to me"

- Too intense, over played

Moderate Intensity Fear Appeal:

Strong enough that I am afraid of it, not so strong that I think it cant happen to me (most effective)

Low Intensity Fear Appeal:

Not strong enough for people to care

Target of the fear appeal

threatens the loved ones, not the audience because it comes out like a threat, peripheral route

RECEPTIVE audience: Description

Basically already convinced

RECEPTIVE audience: Strategic Consideration

One sided argument, clearly state your speaking objective, PERIPHERAL route

NEUTRAL audience: Description

- They are indifferent

- They are not in favor or against your topic

- They find your topic to be not relevant to them

NEUTRAL audience: Consideration

- Attention getter is SO important, because they perceive your topic as irrelevant (not relevant to them)

- Begin your message by talking about something they do care about

- It is a long game in convincing your audience

- Build perceived relevance

UNPERCEPTIVE audience: Description

- Unfriendly and hostile audience

- Against what you have to say

- Disagreeable about what you have to say

- They do not define the solution or problem the same way

UNPERCEPTIVE audience: Considerations

DO NOT announce your plans to change their mind

DO NOT misrepresent who you are

DO NOT use the same phrases like "trust me"

DO begin by noting areas of agreement

DO give their side first