1. Speaking to Persuade

2. Persuasion
Definition: art of convincing people to adopt your point of view.
Psychology:
Taps into audience attitudes, beliefs, and values (impediments)
Uses a specific strategy pertaining to the objective
Attitudes = likes and dislikes; preferences—easiest to change
Beliefs = faith but most by experience and evidence
Values = right and wrong, good and bad. Values most deeply ingrained and hardest to change.
Be clear on which you are trying to address to determine best way to achieve that end.

3. Engage the Audience
Audiences process what they hear and think and how they feel/respond
More involvement = higher persuasive power
Consider their needs/prior knowledge
Reinforce
Correct
Educate (fill in the gaps)

4. Aristotle’s Approach Ethos Logos Pathos Ethical Credible Logic
Reasoning
Pathos
Emotions

5. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Self-actualization
personal growth and fulfilment
Esteem needs
achievement, status, responsibility, reputation
Belongingness and Love needs
family, affection, relationships, work group, etc.
Safety needs
protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc.
Biological and Physiological needs
basic life needs - air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc.
© design Alan Chapman , based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

6. Cognitive Dissonance Definition: Speaker goal:
Theory that people strive to solve problems to manage stress/tension in a way that is consistent with their beliefs, values, and morals.
Speaker goal:
Create cognitive dissonance in audience

7. Creating and Relieving Cognitive Dissonance
Identify existing problem or need that audience will agree with
Need to maintain the environment
Effect of aerosol sprays on the environment
Deplete the ozone layer
Exposes us to sun’s harmful rays
Convenience of aerosol sprays
Audience wants both dissonance
Provide solution that meets both needs: pump sprays

8. Whom to Target Those you most want to reach Not yet decided
Against your idea
Already in agreement
Hostile

9. Conduct Audience Analysis

10. Three Dimensions Demographics Psychological Contextual
Individual characteristics
Group characteristics
Psychological
Previous knowledge
Beliefs
Attitudes
Contextual
When and where?
Why are they here?

11. Demographics Age Gender Race, culture, ethnicity Profession Religion
Educational level
Relevant qualities/interests
Homogeneous/heterogeneous (size, too)
Self: similarities/differences

12. Psychology What are they thinking? Who knows more?
Previous knowledge vs. knowledge needed
Knowledge desired vs. knowledge needed
Familiar terminology
Familiar concepts, processes, tools
Who knows more?
You?
Them?

13. Context Voluntary vs. mandatory attendance? Current climate
Midterm exams
Flu season
Company layoffs
Audience expectations of style
Dress
Time of day
Obstacles or distractions in room

14. Contending with Opposition
Directly refute arguments with facts
Use a persuasive strategy

15. Persuasive Strategies

16. Speeches on Questions of Fact
Correct facts/Debunk myths
Topical or spatial arrangement
“Not all doctors can treat your condition”
DC vs. MD vs. DO
Education
Scope of treatment

17. Speeches on Questions of Values
Address attitudes and values
Change or reinforce current beliefs of right/wrong or good/bad
Requires evidence
Topical
“Aerobics is the best form of exercise.”
Definition
Health benefits
Types of aerobic exercise

18. Speeches on Questions of Policy
Urge actions and support of policies
Uses the word “should” and answers question: “What should be done about . . .?”
Can be passive: Attain agreement
Can be active: Gain immediate action

19. Persuasive Strategies
Monroe’s Motivated Sequence
Problem/Solution
Statement of Reasons
Comparative Advantage

20. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence
Attention: Grab audience’s attention at the beginning of your introduction.
Need: Show audience that there is a serious problem that needs action.
Satisfaction: Satisfy the need by presenting a solution and show how your solution works.
Visualization: Paint a picture of results. Help listeners visualize the positive impact. Show how they will personally benefit, if possible.
Action: Request specific action from your listeners. Be specific!!

21. Problem/Solution Useful in questions of policy
Demonstrate that the problem exists
Facts
Statistics
Extent
Relation to audience
Present solution

22. Statement of Reasons
Used when audience is already favorable or interested
State purpose of presentation
State central idea or main point
Support central idea with reasons

23. Comparative Advantage
Used when audience agrees a problem exists but disagrees on the solution
Show advantages of your solution
Compare your solution with others proposed
Demonstrate why your solution is superior
Use facts, evidence, reasoning, statistics, etc.
Paint a picture of the future

24. Tips Hostile audience: change topics
Audience in agreement: reinforce and move to action
Audience on the fence or disagrees/against: wow them with evidence, reasoning, and vivid images

25. Conditions Necessary to Persuade
Audience perceptions
Credible speaker
Quality evidence
Logical reasoning
Emotional involvement

26. Five Dimensions of Speaker Credibility
Competence Composure
Speaker credibility
Sociability Trustworthiness
Extroversion

27. Types of Credibility
Initial
Derived
Terminal

28. Building Credibility Speak from conviction Be yourself
Use quality information and sources
Show interest in the audience
Maintain your composure

29. Using Evidence Less credibility—More evidence needed
Use facts that anticipate audience disagreement, argument, or apathy
Tips:
Be specific/concrete
Be novel
Use credible sources
Tie evidence to specific point (draw conclusion for the audience)

30. The art of drawing a conclusion based on sound evidence.
Reasoning:
The art of drawing a conclusion based on sound evidence.

31. Types of Reasoning From specific instances (inductive)
From principle (deductive)
From cause
From analogy

32. Fallacies of Reasoning
Can persuade if people do not recognize
Can completely eliminate credibility if people do recognize

33. Appealing to Emotions (e. g
Appealing to Emotions (e.g., fear, compassion, pride, anger, guilt, etc.)
Using words that provoke strong feelings
Increasing likelihood of audience reaction
Enhancing emotional appeal
Use emotional language to produce desired emotion in audience
Develop vivid examples and images
Be sincere; use nonverbals
Voice
Eye contact

34. Ethics and Emotional Appeals
Must use appeals honestly
Must be coupled with reason
Must avoid name-calling and abusive language