kenneth burke and theory of identification
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G2 - Jesse And Bao on Theory of IdentificationTRANSCRIPT
KENNETH BURKE AND THEORY OF IDENTIFICATIONBao Thai NGUYEN (s3221678)
Chen-Hsi Wu (s3260665)
CONTENT
Recap
Theory of Identification
The states, sources and dimensions of Identification
RECAP
Rhetoric
Persuasion
Theory of PersuasionCognitive Dissonance TheoryTheory of Reasoned ActionSocial Judgment Theory
THEORY OF IDENTIFICATION
Developed by Kenneth Duva Burke, an influential rhetorician and philosopher
Published in Burke’s book, “Rhetoric of Motives” (1950)
Argues that persuasion only function when there is a similarity between the speakers and the hearers
Kenneth Duva Burke (May 5, 1897 – November 19, 1993)
TERMINOLOGY
Properties: Any sensation, concept, image, idea, or attitude which we use to identify ‘substance’
Burke defines “substance” as action – from old philosophies;
CONSUBSTANTIALITY (OR IDENTIFICATION)
The state of two ‘substances’ share a common ‘property’
THEORY OF IDENTIFICATION
Definition: The Speaker, by using linguistic ‘strategies’ which
give ‘signs’ to his hearers that his ‘properties’ are similar to or identical with their ‘properties,’ achieves identification or ‘consubstantiality’ and thereby achieves persuasion.
Example: Politicians frequently use “we”, or “our” during their public speech in order to relate them with the audiences.
Winston Churchill “Their Finest Hour”http
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsKDGM5KTBY&feature=player_embedded
STRATEGIES
Formal Appeal
Antithesis
‘Assumed we’
3 STATES OF IDENTIFICATION
1. The process of naming something (or someone) according to specific properties
2. The process of associating with and disassociating from others
3. The product or end result of identifying
SOURCES OF IDENTIFICATION
Materialistic Identification
Idealistic Identification
Formal Identification
Identification through Mystification
MATERIALISTIC IDENTIFICATION
Through properties, things that are capable of being touched
Ex.
IDEALISTIC IDENTIFICATION
Through interests, ideas, attitudes, feelings, values, experience, perception, etc.
Ex. The speech of Pope Urban II encourage numerous people to join the Crusade by their belief of God in 11th century
FORMAL IDENTIFICATION
Based on the identification that arises from the form, arrangement, or organization in which both parties participate
Ex. To identify with someone by the classes or party go together
IDENTIFICATION THROUGH MYSTIFICATION
“People of lower strata in a hierarchy often identify with people at the top hierarchy” (Stephen & Karen, 2008)
People at the top hierarchy tend to not present the division between high and low hierarchy
Ex.
ABOUT THEORY OF IDENTIFICATION
The concept itself is not unique to modern American rhetorical theory.
Similar to Phillips’s principle of reference to experience and Winans’s theory of common ground.
APPLICATION AND LIMITATION OF THEORY OF IDENTIFICATION
Application To provide an additional tool to evaluate or explain
certain events or communication process To reinforce people’s rhetoric practice with careful
observation and skillful association to the others
Limitation Due to the development of communication technology,
theory of identification may not be applied in some media channels where face-to-face communication is unavailable.
Fail to mention if similarities can be real or fake. Fake identity in order to seek similarity for persuasion purpose, would it increase the persuasiveness?
CASE STUDY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_2vWfLceuo&feature=player_embedded
CONCLUSION
Theory of Identification Persuasion can be only achieved when the speaker
and the hearer share common interests
Stages of Identification1. Observe the object2. Associate with and disassociate from other3. The result of identification
Sources of Identification Material Idealistic Formal Mystification
REFERENCES Burke, Kenneth D 1950, ‘A Rhetoric of Motives’,
University of California Press, London, UK, 65-69
Day, Dennis G 1960, ‘Persuasion and the concept of Identification’, Quarterly Journal of Speech, 46:3, 270-273
Littlejohn, SW & Foss, KA 2008, ‘Theories of Human Communication’, 9th edit, Thomson Wadsworth, USA, 115
Quigley, Brooke L 1998, ‘Identification as a key term in Kenneth Burke’s rhetorical theory’, American Communication Journal, The University of Memphis