Chapter 15
Persuasive Speaking
The process of influencing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors
Persuasion
Influencing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of your audience◦ Attitudes are evaluations of people, objects,
ideas, and events◦ Beliefs are how people perceive reality◦ Behavior is how people act or function
The Goals of Persuasive Speaking
Your topic…◦ Should be somewhat controversial◦ Must allow you to develop a message to bring
about change in the audience
Developing a Persuasive Topic & Thesis
Your thesis...◦Is stated as a proposition◦Proposition of Fact
What is or is not
◦Proposition of ValueValue judgment about what something is worth
◦Propositions of PolicyClaims about a course of action to be taken
Developing a Persuasive Topic & Thesis
Understanding your audience’s disposition◦ Receptive audience◦ Hostile audience◦ Neutral audience
Freshmen parking example Social Judgment Theory
◦ Latitude of Acceptance/Rejection (Sherif & Sherif, 1967)
Persuading Your Audience
Understanding your audience’s needs
Persuading Your Audience
Understanding what is relevant to your audienceElaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)
Central processing Peripheral processing
Persuading Your Audience
Forms of rhetorical proof◦ Ethos◦ Logos◦ Pathos
Strategies for Persuasive Speaking
Ethos◦ Moral Character◦ Credibility◦ Character◦ Trustworthiness◦ Goodwill
Strategies for Persuasive Speaking
Logos
Reasoning
Inductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning
Strategies for Persuasive Speaking
Pathos◦ Appeals to listeners’ emotions ◦ Should be combined with logical
appeals for lasting effect
Strategies for Persuasive Speaking
Avoiding logical fallacies◦Bandwagon fallacy◦Reduction to the absurd◦Red herring fallacy◦Personal attacks◦Begging the question◦Either-or fallacy◦Appeal to tradition◦The slippery slope fallacy
Strategies for Persuasive Speaking
Problem-Solution Pattern Refutational Organizational Pattern Comparative Advantage Pattern Monroe’s Motivated Sequence
◦Attention◦Need◦Satisfaction◦Visualization◦Action
Organizing Patterns in Persuasive Speaking
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