Persuasive Techniques Day 1

Techniques used in writing, speeches, and advertisements to influence our THINKING.

Why might someone use persuasive techniques? To convince people: To BUY a certain product To ACT in a certain way To AGREE with a point of view After this slide, ask students if they are influenced by persuasive techniques. If they say “no”, begin pointing out brand name clothing/shoes they are wearing. If they say “yes”, ask them what advertising has been most successful.

Do persuasive techniques really work? Let’s find out! I’ll be doing a cola taste test with them at this point. I begin by asking for my Coke v. Pepsi drinkers. I choose two each of them and two that have no preference. I buy 4 liters of cola products: Coke, Pepsi, Faygo, RC, store brand, etc. I use small Dixie cups and make some kind of chart of everyone in the class to record the results so everyone is engaged. I write #’s on the caps in permanent marker and KEEP TRACK of which number is on which bottle. I remove the labels completely and I also change caps because our smarties think the blue will be pepsi, red coke, etc. I then change them again between classes because they tell each other. In 3 years of doing this, very rarely can a drinker identify the product they claim they know best. In addition, for all 3 years across all my classes (6 of them my first two years), RC was the #1 choice and Coke the last choice. I will then go on to the next slides and explain that advertising IS successful because of persuasive techniques and this is why it’s important to be able to recognize them.

Which is better?

Which is better?

What is our challenge?

To separate messages being used to influence us FROM information that does not have an agenda

Why is this important?

People who don’t practice critical thinking are easily led

Type of Appeals Logical: appeals to our sense of logic and reason and includes facts, “if..then” (cause/effect) statements, and reliable experts Emotional: appeals to emotions, meant to make you feel something Ethical: appeals to ethics, meant to convince someone of the character or credibility of the persuader. I’m planning on introducing these words here without giving a formal definition. I just want them to know that sometimes these techniques appeal to logic and other times emotion.

STOP! Read the passage in your packet and follow the directions. Read passage for loaded language. “Birmingham Jail” excerpt and answer question 1

Loaded Language Loaded language technique: uses words that cause a strong feeling or emotional response. Once the reader is feeling strongly, he or she may be more likely to agree with the writer. Some emotions words can make you feel: Fear, guilt, pride, anger, love, hate, sympathy

Loaded vs. Unloaded Loaded: Unloaded: Beast Animal Soaked Wet Sweatshop Company

Now you try! Make these unloaded words loaded: Unmotivated Mean Euthanize After this slide, go back to the passage (Birmingham Jail) to find loaded language.

Testimonial Using a respected person or someone with experience or authority to validate a product or cause When this person gives their stamp of approval, the hope is the intended audience will follow that example.

What makes this testimonial? Explain how this could be a logical argument

And this?