Persuasive Speaking

Persuasion- Persuasion- Process of changing or reinforcing attitudes, beliefs, values or behaviors Understanding audience psychology is important to have effective message Why? So you have APPEAL!

Goal is to Change Audiences’- Attitude- learned predisposition to respond favorable or unfavorably towards something. Like broccoli, dogs, cats, baseball Beliefs- what you understand to be true or false Ex- Believe in God Value- enduring concept of right or wrong (good vs. bad) In US we value hard-work, sportsmanship

Persuading- Why know which one? Value is hardest to change- Audience won’t listen Belief can change w/ evidence Attitude is easiest to change. Ex- you value Democracy, believe the military is essential, attitude- the president is ok b/c his took care for troops.

Visual Representation of Levels Think castle w/ walls. ATTITUDES BELIEFS VALUES This guy fails

Goal of Persuasion- Reinforce or change a person’s behavior Ex. Exercise more.

Methods of Persuasion- Classical Method of Persuasion-Speaker centered- Developed by the Greek philosopher Aristotle on 4th Century BC Logos- Logic in speech Ethos- Credibility of speaker Pathos- Emotion Ways of motivating listener to think or behave in a certain way. Motivation- underlying internal force that drives people to achieve goals.

Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of Persuasion Theory based on how audience interprets the message. Either direct or peripheral Direct uses overwhelming evidence and logic Ex- you get unlimited Data b/c you like to DL Peripheral- persuaded by indirect means like music, or how you say it. This surgery has a 1 in 4 success rate.

How to MOTIVATE Listeners Cognitive Dissonance- sense of mental discomfort that prompts a person to change when new information conflicts w/ previously organized thought patterns Ex- teens are not mature enough to drive. Audience seeks a way to bring harmony

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Hierarchy of needs that motivates behavior Lower needs to be fulfilled before moving on. School based on this.

Self-Actualization Needs Need to achieve one’s highest potential Army’s “Be all you can be.”

Positive Motivation- Audience feels they have done something positive or can make a positive change Ex- Use reusable water bottles saves the environment! Impress Me.

Negative Motivation- Uses Fear Appeal- change behavior by a threat. Uses if/then Ex. Fines

Extrinsic Motivation refers to our tendency to perform activities for known external rewards, whether they be tangible (e.g., money) or psychological (e.g., praise) in nature."

Intrinsic Motivation occurs when we act without any obvious external rewards. We simply enjoy an activity or see it as an opportunity to explore, learn, and actualize our potentials."

Persuasive Speaking demands you to effectively- Induce your audience to believe as you do

Influence your audience in order to cause some sort of directed action to take place

Audience Analysis: Evaluating accurately and perceptively (what is their impression) of how your audience feels about you and your speech “I don't know the rules of grammar. If you're trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language.”- David Ogilvy  1911-, American Businessman, Advertising Expert 

Supportive Audience: Audience agrees with you and what you have to say Therefore, you don’t have to persuade- They agree with you! Friendly Example: Football team giving a talk to the student body during a pep rally. Republicans listening to a fellow Republican give a speech on a topic they agree with A pro-gun speech at a NRA meeting. You discussing the latest gossip with your close friends

Uncommitted It’s Neutral No hard set opinions or beliefs Audience nearly needs information to make up their mind. Easiest group to persuade Ex. Convincing the a person to buy FFA fruit. People with little knowledge on a subject like wind energy, ethanol, what sport is the best, Democrat or Republican, who to vote for, and others.

Indifferent Audience is apathetic (uninterested) towards the speaker. Harder to persuade Audience is captive Appears openly bored Ex. A high school lyceum on a topic you heard ten times before Mandatory meetings Class Parental lectures

Opposed Audience Audience members are hostile to you Hostile to what you are promoting Feel no warmth for you and is not no way sympathetic to your feelings or your cause. Ex. A pro-gun speaker at an anti-gun gun demonstration. Sit-ins, demonstrations, Kennedy’s Address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association

Terms to Know Captive Audience: an audience that has been forced to be in attendance Unbiased: Objective Ex. You giving your speech and me grading them A job interview

Speaker Success Is the result of his/her logical appeal, his/her emotional appeal, and his/her personal appeal.

Persuasive Speaking

Step 1: Attention Effective introduction Connect with the audience

Step 2: Problem What is the issue? Stats & analysis of why is this a problem. Significance- why do I care? Examples to highlight

Step 3: Cause What is the source of the problem? Need evidence to support your claims. Ex. Why are kids not going outside? Parent fears of abduction Digital games School focuses on learning not recess

Step 4: Solutions CALL TO ACTION What can I do? When giving a persuasive speech you MUST provide an action the audience can do. Explain how your solutions will work- do you have an expert backing your opinion? Personal Local National

Assignment- You will create and present a Persuasive Speech that is 3-4 minutes long w/ 4 sources.