Transcript Persuasion
Persuasion What is persuasion? • Communication that has as its purpose the changing, modification, or shaping of the responses (attitudes or behavior) of the receiver(s). Persuasion versus Informing • Persuasion involves arguing for a particular point of view. • Persuasion involves trying to change someone’s thoughts, feelings, and/or behaviors. Ethics and Persuasion • Persuasion is ethically neutral (it is ‘amoral’). • Knowledge of persuasion can be used as a defense. • The source’s motives are considered when making judgments of ‘morality’. Cialdini’s Persuasion Heuristics • • • • • • Reciprocation Commitment and Consistency Social Proof Liking Authority Scarcity Witte’s Extended Parallel Process Model • Fear Appeals – use ‘gruesome’ content in the form of: • vivid and/or personalistic language • gory pictures • • • • Components of the Model: Threat (severity & susceptibility) Efficacy (response- & self-efficacy) Fear Control vs. Danger Control EPPM continued • First, we appraise threat. – if moderate to high, then fear is elicited – if low, then no motivation (dismissed) • When we perceive threat, but no efficacy, we engage in fear control. • When we perceive both threat and efficacy, we engage in danger control. Summary of Fear Appeal Research • Show sufficient threat – moderate to high fear appeals are most effective • Show sufficient efficacy – introducing an effective solution or course of action strengthens a fear appeal • The higher the source’s credibility, the more effective the use of fear appeals. Typical Domains of Persuasion • Questions of Fact – seek to persuade an audience to accept the speaker’s view of the facts on a particular issue – e.g., Was there a Philadelphia experiment? (Lorraine’s speech topic) Domains, continued • Questions of Value: – Require judgments based on one’s beliefs about what is right, wrong, good, bad, moral, immoral, etc. – Are usually organized topically • The first main point establishes standards. • The second main point applies those standards to the topic. Domains, continued • Questions of Policy – Deal with Specific Courses of Action – Two types • Seeks to gain passive agreement • Seeks to motivate immediate action – Must Address 3 Basic Issues: • need • plan • practicality Patterns of Organization • • • • Problem-Solution Problem-Cause-Solution Comparative Advantages Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Monroe’s Motivated Sequence • First, gain the audience’s attention. • Second, show the need for change. • Third, satisfy the need by presenting a plan that will remedy that need. • Fourth, visualize the benefits and practicality of the plan. • Fifth, urge the audience to take action in support of the plan. Common Problems Using MMS • Failure to analyze the problem first • Failure to follow steps in order (do not mix up or combine steps) • Failure to balance coverage: – students tend to skimp on the satisfaction and visualization steps • Failure to be specific in the satisfaction step -- e.g, How much does it cost? Where can we find it? How long will it take? What’s the phone number to call? Tips • Be realistic in your persuasive goal • Know your target audience and their predisposition toward the topic (whenever possible) – one-sided vs. two-sided messages – fear appeals • Anticipate audience objections and answer them in your speech. Tips, continued • Convince the audience, do not try to coerce. • Use evidence, logic, and argument to persuade, but also appeal to emotions. • Every element in your presentation -appearance, tone, gesture -- should reinforce your argument.