PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES“Change My Mind!”

BASIC PRINCIPLES

In this section, you’ll learn about: Appeal to Ethics/Morals (ethos)Appeal to Logic (logos)Appeal to Emotion (pathos)

ARISTOTLE [384 B.C. TO 322 B.C]

Greek philosopher Student of Plato and the teacher of Alexander the

Great Wrote about many diverse subjects including physics,

poetry, government, ethics, biology and more Aristotle named three techniques one could employ

when trying to persuade someone:EthosLogosPathos

ETHOS [ETHICS]

Means that a person is influenced by the writer’s character or image

Aristotle called it the “moral rightness” of an argument.

Aristotle said that if a speaker has “good sense, good moral character and goodwill,” we are inclined to believe what the person has to say

LOGOS [LOGIC]

Means an argument based on reasonAristotle saw it as the ability to construct

logical arguments and to persuade that your assumptions and solutions are true

PATHOS [PASSION]

Use of emotional appeals to get the audience to accept one’s viewpoint

A common use of pathos in argument is to create a sense of rejection if the audience doesn’t agree

PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES

Part 1

APPEAL TO AUTHORITY/EXPERT OPINION

Calls on an expert to provide credibility or importance to product, service or position

For example:Dentist promotes a certain brand of toothpaste“Four out of five dentists recommend sugarless gum

for their patients who chew gum”

APPEAL TO EMOTION

Uses emotionally charged language or images

For example:ASPCA/Humane Society commercialsPictures of devastation caused by

natural disasters in order to garner support for relief efforts

APPEAL TO ETHICS

Positions the writer or speaker as a person of good sense, good moral character and good intentions

For example:A political candidate says he refuses to

mud-sling and prefers to talk about the issues instead

APPEAL TO LOGIC

Provides rational arguments to support one’s claim using facts, figures and statistics

For example:Facts are given that support the need to

reduce traffic fatalities

YOUR TURN!Smoking is dangerous because cigarette smoke

contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer.

Logic

Emotion

Authority

There is clear evidence that cell phones save lives in emergency situations.

My dentist says that I should brush and floss twice daily to help take care of my teeth.

YOUR TURN! – FACEBOOK-THEMED

Lady Gaga was more popular than Justin Bieber in 2011 because she had ten million more Facebook fans than Bieber.

Facebook, used by millions of people including celebrities like Oprah and Bill Gates, is a reliable way to network.

Facebook is slowly eroding your sense of privacy and eventually, you will not mind being monitored without your knowledge.

The ability to express yourself freely on Facebook is a right guaranteed by the Constitution.

Logic

Authority

Emotion

Ethics

YOUR TURN! – SMOD-THEMEDWe should do away with SMOD because it limits

our development of self-expression.

A study by the Department of Education showed that student learning increased when the distraction of fashion was removed.

How would you feel if you had to wear the same clothes all the time?

Ethics

Logic

Emotion

CREATE YOUR OWN

1. With a partner, write one persuasive statement for each type of appeal.

2. When you finish, have another group try to identify the type of appeal you used.

PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES

Part 2

BANDWAGON

Attempts to convinced the audience that something is good because “everyone” is doing it (“jumping on the bandwagon”)

For example:“Everyone is switching to this cell

phone network. Shouldn’t you?”

CARD STACKINGLeaves out information necessary for the

audience to make an informed decision“Stacks the cards” in favor of one’s viewpoint by

using only arguments that support a position or by ignoring or denying the arguments against it

For example:A newspaper uses a large picture of a smiling spokesperson

for an organization that it favors or a less attractive or smaller picture of a person speaking on behalf of a position they do not support

RECENT “CARD STACKING”

ENDORSEMENT/TESTIMONIAL

Uses a popular figure such as a celebrity to endorse a product, service or cause

For example: Celebrities with beautiful complexions endorse Proactive

EXAGGERATION

Overstates the effectiveness or importance of a product

For example:An anti-wrinkle cream promises to take off 10 years

in one night

FEAR Presents a dreaded circumstance and usually follows it

up with the kind of behavior needed to avoid that horrible event

PLAIN-FOLKS APPEALWorks by suggesting that everyday things are

superior to special or extravagant thingsFor example:

Country Time lemonade sells itself as simple and therefore valuable – a return to the “good old days” when plain folks and simple ways were important

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS

Asks a question in which no response is expected or desired (the answer is obvious). The question is used for effect or is used to emphasize a point

For example:“Can we continue to allow our troops to die?”

WORD CHOICE

Chooses words that will influence audience’s perception of an item or issue

For example:“The police broke up the angry rioters.” vs. “The

police brutally broke up a peaceful protest.”

Which favors the police?Which favors the protestors?

SEX APPEAL

Uses beautiful and attractive people to sell you something

For example:A handsome man promotes using a

Gillette razor

SCIENTIFIC APPROACH

Uses tests, statistics and scientific sounding jargon or diagrams to lend credibility to something

For example:A chair is ergonomically designed to fit the

contours of your bodyAny of those “shape up” sneakers

SNOB APPEAL

Plays on our desire for fancy items and the “good life”

SOMETHING FOR NOTHING

Belief that most people are seeking a “good buy” or “something for nothing”

URGENCY / CALL TO ACTION

Creates the impression that you have to act fast

For example“Order now! Supplies are limited! Everything must go!”

COMPREHENSION CHECK

Name the technique in each ad. Example:

Endorsement(it’s Beyoncé)

Bandwagon(be part of the group)

Scientific Approach(kills germs!)

Fear

Snob Appeal(ooh…shiny)

Exaggeration

Plain-Folks Appeal

(simple living)

Card-Stacking(one-sided)

Word Choice