Introduction to Persuasive Speaking

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Introduction to Persuasive Speaking
Part 2 Persuasion Reasoning
John E. Clayton Nanjung University, Spring, 2004
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What is Persuasion?
Motivating an audience, through communication,
to voluntarily change a belief, attitude, or
behavior.
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Four Keys to Effective Persuasion

• What you say must
• be Credible (trustworthy sincere)
• be Reasonable (logical)
• have proper Emotion
• have Audience Involvement

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Qualities of Persuasion

• Not Coercive
• You can lead a horse to water, but you cant
  make him drink
• (you can convince them to change -- but you can't
  make them change)
• Incremental
• Gradual in impact

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Three Reasons People Believe

• Ethos Credibility character
  of the speaker
• Pathos - emotional reasons
• Logos - logical reasons

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Ethos (character)
We are more likely to believe the words of people
we think are good and ethical.
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Ethos (character)

• Good will toward listeners
• - Common items between you listeners
• - Respect for listeners' attitudes, experiences
• - Show that what you're saying will benefit them
• Expertise
• - Provide strong support for your claims
• - Demonstrate personal knowledge
• Trustworthiness
• - Be ethical in using supporting materials
• - Fairly address other points of view

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Pathos (emotion)
we are more likely to believe the words of people
who stir our emotions
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Pathos (emotion)

• Personalize the topic
• - Tell stories listeners can relate to
• - Translate statistics to make them interesting
• Appeal to listeners' needs and values
• - Show how your advice satisfies their needs
• - Use examples familiar to listeners
• - Include quotations from people listeners
  respect
• Make material come alive
• - Use proper and effective visual aids
• - Use striking quotes, vigorous language

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Logos (logic)
we are more likely to believe the words of people
Who appear to be logical reasonable
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Logos (logic)

• Inductive reasoning
• Starts with examples then draws a conclusion.
• Polar ice is melting, sea level is rising and
  the ozone layer is thinning, therefore we must
  act to prevent further global climate change
• Deductive reasoning
• Starts with conclusion, shows application to
  examples.
• We must act to prevent further global climate
  change, because polar ice is melting, sea level
  is rising

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Some Persuasion Guidelines
People are more likely to change their
Behavior if the proposition asks for a small
change rather than a large change in their lives
Example trying one vegetarian meal rather than
becoming total vegetarians.
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Some Persuasion Guidelines
People are more likely to change their
Behavior if the change will benefit them more
than it will cost them. Consider in terms of
money, time commitment, energy, and skill.
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Some Persuasion Guidelines
People are more likely to change their behavior
if the change meets their needs.
Example Enroll in our study class and improve
your memory ability 70
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Key Points to Remember

• Goal of persuasive speaking is to motivate the
  audience to change a belief, attitude or behavior
• You cant make them change you must convince
  them
• Audience acceptance comes gradually
• An audience needs a reason to change trust,
  emotion, logic

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Homework

• Finish preparing your first speech
• 3 minutes To be presented March 14th
• Written (dont spend time memorizing!)
• Why you should visit my hometown
• Which reasons to believe will you use?
• Ethos? Pathos? Logos?

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Examples
Lets review some examples Consider the method
used Ethos? Pathos? Logos?
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We Will Fight Them On The Beaches
Winston Churchill Prime Minister of
Britain Speech given during the dark days of
early World War II, when it was not certain that
Britain would survive, and the people were very
discouraged.
His goal? To encourage and strengthen the people
to give them confidence
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Robin Williams Jack
After an odd 10-week pregnancy, Jack is born, but
he is no ordinary child Jacks body grows at
four times the normal rate. At 10 years old Jack
has the appearance of a 40-year-old. At first
Jack isnt popular at school the other kids call
him "giant" and "freak." But his teacher
encourages him and he keeps trying. As Jacks
mind grows at the normal rate mentally and
emotionally, his body continues to age rapidly.
Jacks college graduation speech
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The 4th of July

• Aliens have surrounded the entire world, and
  will soon destroy all mankind.
• Everything has been tried to defeat them,
  including nuclear weapons.
• One last idea will be attempted if it fails,
  the earth is doomed.
• The president gives one last speech.

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National Anthems
France La Marseillaise United States The Star
Spangled Banner China The Chinese National Song
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The Actual Star Spangled Banner
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Chinese National Song

• Originally called "The March of the Volunteers.
• Written in 1935 as the theme song for a film
  called "Sons and Daughters of the Storm.
• It urged people to join the National Resistance
  Movement against the Japanese in World War II.
• The song immediately swept the nation, and in
  September 1949, it was adopted as the anthem.
• 1982 officially named the national anthem by the
  National People's Congress.

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Chinese National Song