Persuasive Techniques

Propaganda is the systematic spread of information that reflects or supports a certain viewpoint or bias. Governments will often use propaganda during a war to rally citizens to oppose the enemy.

Name Calling - The name-calling technique is used when a person, or an idea, is called something negative. The object of using this technique is to get the audience to reject the person or idea based on this negative symbol.

Name Calling – It keeps the audience from looking at available evidence. Calling someone a "terrorist" is an example of name calling

Glittering Generality - Glittering generalities is the opposite of name calling. It involves using positive words like good, proper, right, democracy, and patriotism to get the audience to approve a person or idea. It also keeps the audience from examining evidence.

Transfer - The transfer technique is used when the authority or prestige of something generally respected is transferred to something the propagandist wants the audience to accept.

Transfer – For example, many people respect doctors. If the propagandist succeeds in getting a doctor to approve a product, he or she is transferring the doctor's authority to that product. Therefore, the audience would accept a product that may otherwise be rejected.

Loaded Words - Loaded words and phrases are those which have strong emotional overtones or connotations. They are used to trigger an emotion in the reader.

Loaded Words – Words like “weeds” and “oppression” are loaded with negative associations. The following sentence is used to make the reader feel dislike toward the lawbreakers: “These lawbreakers are weeds that need to be pulled out of our society!”

Peer Pressure - Peer pressure happens when a friend or social peer tries to convince you to do something based on your relationship with them. The friend may threaten to end the friendship if you do not agree.

Stereotyping - Stereotyping is taking a quality of one individual and applying it to every individual in the group. Let's say you have a tall friend who is great at basketball. If you decide that all tall people are good basketball players based on your one friend, you are stereotyping.

Stereotyping – Be on the watch for stereotypes authors might use on purpose or without even knowing it.

Testimonial - The testimonial technique involves using a third party endorser to speak on behalf of an idea or a cause.

Testimonial – The testimonial device often involves phrases beginning with "my doctor said," "Tiger Woods said," "the Chicago Tribune said," etc. Testimonials are often used in ways that are unfair and misleading.

Testimonial – The most common misuse of the testimonial involves citing individuals who are not qualified to make judgments about a particular issue. For example, a Hollywood star may not be qualified to speak on the merits of a political candidate.

Euphemisms – A euphemism is a mild, indirect, or vague term that is substituted for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive. It is used to pacify or calm an audience.

Euphemisms – "Defense Department" is a euphemism for “War Department.” “Visually challenged" is a euphemism for "blind.“

Bandwagon - The bandwagon technique basically says, "Everyone else is doing it, so you should too." Since few of us want to be left behind, this technique can be quite successful.