Practically Speaking Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16: Persuasive Speaking Strategies

Opening Remarks

  • Introduction to Persuasion

    • Example of poor signage as a persuasive topic.

    • Examples:

    • "Drop Your Pants Here and You Will Receive Prompt Attention" - laundry sign.

    • "Kids with Gas Eat Here Free" - another humorous sign.

    • Critical signs like "Soft Shoulder, Blind Curves, Steep Grade, Big Trucks, Good Luck!" that warn of dangers.

    • Thesis: Poor signage is a serious problem that needs Congressional action to improve safety regulations.

    • Use of Humor & Fear: Utilization of humor, fear, and evidence to engage listeners.

    • Scope of Chapter: Focus on key persuasive strategies for effective speaking.

    • 1. Power of specific persuasion strategies.

    • 2. Conditions that determine their effectiveness.

Identify and Enhance the Speaker: Ethos

  • Ethos Definition: The credibility of the speaker, originating from Aristotle's ideas.

  • Importance of Ethos:

    • If the audience has issues with the speaker, even the best persuasive strategies can fail.

  • Ways to Enhance Ethos:

    • Establishing Identification with the audience.

    • Kenneth Burke (1950) on persuasion: “You persuade a man [or woman] only insofar as you can talk his language.”

    • Enhance Credibility:

    • Appear competent, trustworthy, and dynamic.

    • Demonstrate strong character and goodwill.

    • Audience types:

    • Those with weak views are influenced by speaker credibility.

    • Those with strong views require solid evidence to change their views.

    • Role of Humor:

    • Enhances likability and credibility, but should be careful not to overdo it (excess self-deprecation can weaken credibility).

Use Logic and Evidence: Logos

  • Importance of Logic and Evidence:

    • Building arguments based on strong logic (logos).

  • Quality and Quantity of Arguments:

    • Example: Petty & Cacioppo (1984) study on student reactions to examination proposals.

    • Students affected weren’t persuaded by weak arguments, but by strong ones; unaffected students were swayed by the quantity of arguments.

  • Counterarguments:

    • Number of counterarguments matter; 4-6 are more effective than 2 (Ecker et al., 2019).

    • Research on backfire effects (Nyhan & Reifler, 2010) disproven.

    • Counterarguments can counteract false beliefs.

  • Evidence Types:

    • Narratives vs. Statistics: Use both for the best results. Vivid narratives can be more memorable than dry statistics.

Emotional Appeals: Pathos

  • Role of Emotional Appeals:

    • Can be effective motivators, alongside logic.

    • Emotional responses needed to capture attention.

  • Examples of Emotional Appeals:

    • Sadness, pride, hope, guilt, shame.

    • Greta Thunberg’s speech that combined shame and guilt.

    • Barack Obama's 2008 campaign speech highlighted Hope.

Fear Appeals

  • Characteristics of Fear Appeals:

    • Common in messaging since childhood; used in campaigns (e.g., anti-smoking).

    • Increasing fear can lead to influenced behavior, but must personalize threats.

  • Conditions for Effectiveness:

    1. Audience must feel vulnerable.

    2. Specific recommendations must be clear and actionable.

    3. Recommendations perceived as effective.

    4. Listeners must recognize their capacity to act.

    5. Combined with strong arguments.

  • Backfire Effects: Can occur if conditions are not met (Leshner et al., 2011).

Anger Appeals

  • Role of Anger in Persuasion:

    • Arousing moderate anger can motivate action; intense anger can impair decision-making.

  • The Anger Activism Model:

    • Helps to channel anger constructively in speeches.

  • Strategies to Channel Anger:

    1. Agreement with basic message.

    2. Anger should be strong but not uncontrolled rage.

    3. Pathway to perceived constructive action.

Cognitive Dissonance

  • Definition and Mechanism:

    • Inconsistencies between attitudes create discomfort (cognitive dissonance).

    • Examples of persuading through contradictions.

  • Inducing Dissonance:

    1. Arouse feelings of hypocrisy or inconsistency.

    2. Offer a solution to resolve this dissonance.

Framing and Reframing

  • Framing Definition: The influence of language on perception.

    • Influential examples include “death tax” vs. “estate tax.”

    • Effective framing determines decisions and actions taken on issues.

  • Reframing Effects: Recasting issues through different descriptive lenses can change perceptions profoundly.

Contrast Effect in Persuasion

  • Definition: Listeners are more likely to accept a second request or offer after being shown a larger first request.

    • Application: Selling strategies and framing solutions for problems in persuasive speeches.

Psychological Reactance

  • Definition: Resistance to perceived control efforts that threaten personal freedom.

    • Effective for triggering audience desire to resist control.

Organizational Patterns in Persuasive Speech

  • One-sided vs. Two-sided Arguments:

    • Two-sided messages are more effective if followed by effective refutation of opposing arguments.

  • Steps in Refutation:

    1. Present opposing argument.

    2. State reaction.

    3. Provide support for rebuttal.

    4. Assess effects of opposition on your argument strength.

Conclusion and Summary

  • Summary of Strategies: Several effective strategies exist for persuasive speech: establishing identification, credibility, leveraging emotions, inducing cognitive dissonance, and more.

  • Study and Contextual Consideration: Conditions for success should be analyzed and adapted to audience views and context.