1. How do people influence you?
Propaganda and Persuasive Techniques
How do people influence you?
Sherwood Brooks
Driftwood Middle School
2010

2. What is Propaganda?
A form of communication that may use distorted, false, or misleading information to persuade
Circular reasoning
Stereotyping
Overgeneralization
Cause and Effect Fallacy

3. Circular Reasoning
An attempt to support a statement by repeating it in other words
Example:
Using video cameras to monitor school hallways is good because it feels right.

4. Stereotyping
A stereotype is a generalization about a group of people (Racial, ethnic, religious) that doesn’t take into account individual differences

5. Overgeneralization
A broad statement that says something is true for every case, with no exceptions.

6. Cause and Effect Fallacy
The author makes the assumption that because one event follows another, the second was caused by the first.
The school cut security staff, and two students fell down the stairs and were seriously injured.

7. A means of convincing people: to buy a certain product
What is Persuasion?
A means of convincing people:
to buy a certain product
to believe something or act in a certain way
to agree with a point of view

8. Persuasive Techniques
False Analogy – compares two things that do not have enough similarities to be a valid comparison

9. Persuasive Techniques
False premise – begins with a statement that is not true
If I’m made
from sugar,
why am I a sugar
substitute?
People who wear glasses are smart. Naomi wears glasses, so she is smart.

10. Persuasive Techniques
Red Herring – a reason that distracts from the argument

11. Persuasive Techniques
Either/or Fallacy – assumes that there are only two alternatives.
Either go to college or forget about getting a good job.

12. Repetition: The name of a product is repeated many times
HEAD ON Apply directly to the forehead
HEAD ON Apply directly to the forehead
HEAD ON Apply directly to the forehead

13. Slogan: “Can you hear me now?”
A catchy phrase or statement often used to sell a service or a product.

14. Bandwagon
A statement suggesting that everyone is using a specific product, so you should too
Persuading people to do something by letting them know others are doing it
Gives impression that you will be left out if you don’t do what you are being persuaded
Example: “See why so many women have switched” (Shampoo advertisement)

15. Why are these examples of Bandwagon?

16. Testimonial
A well-known person supports a product or service

17. Testimonial works because you feel like you can trust the words of an expert or someone who is famous.

18. Expert Opinion
Ads using scientific sounding language to make a product seem more effective.
Appeals to the audience’s intellect
“Four out of five dentists recommend this toothpaste….”
“Studies show that….”

19. Expert Opinion Experts approve this product, so you should use it
“Four out of five dentists recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum”

20. Emotional Appeal
A person is made to have strong feelings about a situation or product
Using the words of a famous person to persuade you “Got Milk?” “Just Say No!”
Loaded words that make people feel strongly - love/hate, patriotic, loyal, un-American, socialist, bully
Sports figures promoting athletic gear, sports drinks, or shoes.

21. Quick Review False Premise
Soda is as healthy to drink as water. So I drink soda with all my meals.
False Premise

22. Quick Review Either/Or Fallacy
Either you vote for Ellen Green for student body president or our school activities will decline.
Either/Or Fallacy

23. Quick Review False Analogy
Just as dogs need to be trained to obey commands, students need strong discipline to improve their learning.
False Analogy

24. Quick Review Red Herring
Yes, animals are trapped in zoos. But what about all those people trapped in jobs they hate?
Red Herring

25. Quick Review Bandwagon
All teenagers love the Twilight series. You’ll love it too!
Bandwagon

26. Quick Review Testimonial
“Dale Chapman will make an excellent governor,” says Nobel Prize winner, Peter Genzarro.
Testimonial

27. Homework
Bring to school magazine and newspaper ads, pictures printed from the Internet, movie posters, videotaped commercials, or other materials that attempt to persuade people in some way.