Public

Public
Speaking
Speaking
9

GLOBA
EDITIO

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AN AUDIENCE-CENTERED
AN AUDIENCE-CENTERED
APPROACH
APPROACH
N

Steven A. Beebe
Texas State University – San Marcos
CHATER
Presentation Prepared by:
Gary Iman
Missouri State University
Susan J. Beebe
Texas
TexasState
StateUniversity
University––San
SanMarcos
Marcos

© 2015, 2013,
© Pearson
2011 Pearson
Education
Education,
Limited 2015.
Inc. All rights reserved.
 Chapter 14

The Persuasive
Speech

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 …the power of
speech, to stir men’s
blood.

- William Shakespeare

Ronald D. Ginther (1907–1969), Familiar Scene on the Skid Road, c. 1935. Watercolor and ink on board.
Washington State Historical Society, Tacoma, Washington. Photo: Washington State Historical Society /
Art Resource, NY.

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

 Learning Objectives

This chapter will help you to:

 LO 1 - Describe the goals of persuasive
messages.
 LO 2 - Explain classic and contemporary
theories of how persuasion occurs.
 LO 3 - Describe four ways to motivate
listeners to respond to a persuasive message.
 LO 4 – Prepare and present an audience-
centered persuasive speech.
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
 The Goals of Persuasion
LO 1

Persuasion is the process of changing or reinforcing attitudes, beliefs,

values, or behavior.

Changing or Reinforcing Audience Attitudes

• An attitude is a learned predisposition to respond
favorably or unfavorably to something.
Changing or Reinforcing Audience Beliefs
• Beliefs are how we structure reality to accept something
as true or false and can be difficult to change.
• Some beliefs are based on faith – others can be changed
by presenting evidence.

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

 The Goals of Persuasion
LO 1

 Changing or Reinforcing Audience Values

• A value is an enduring concept of right or wrong, good
or bad, and is usually deeply ingrained.
 Changing or Reinforcing Audience
Behaviors
• Behaviors don’t always match what people claim are
their attitudes, beliefs, or values.
• A persuasive speech may be aimed at either changing
or reinforcing behavior.

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

 How Persuasion Works
LO 2

Aristotle’s Traditional Approach: Using

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos to Persuade
• Ethos
o To persuade, an effective communicator must be
credible.
o This means being ethical, possessing a good
character, having common sense, and being
concerned for the well-being of the audience.
o People are more likely to be persuaded by people
they trust.
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
 How Persuasion Works
LO 2

Aristotle’s Traditional Approach: Using

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos to Persuade (cont.)
• Logos
o The word logos literally means “the word.”
o This refers to using rational, logical arguments to
persuade people.
o A skilled persuader not only reaches a logical
conclusion but also supports the message with
evidence and reasoning.

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

 How Persuasion Works
LO 2

Aristotle’s Traditional Approach: Using

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos to Persuade
• Pathos
o Pathos refers to the use of appeals to emotion.
o We sometimes hold attitudes, beliefs, and values
that are not logical – but the choice to agree to
make us feel positive about ourselves.
o To persuade using pathos use emotion-arousing
stories and concrete examples.

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

 How Persuasion Works
LO 2

 ELM’s Contemporary Approach: Using a

Direct or Indirect Path to Persuade
Elaboration Likelihood Model of
Persuasion (ELM)
• To elaborate means you are
thinking about the information,
ideas, and issues related to the
message presented.
• You are critically evaluating the
arguments and evidence to which
you are listening.
Photo: MoustacheGirl/Fotolia
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
 How Persuasion Works
LO 2

 ELM’s Contemporary Approach: Using a

Direct or Indirect Path to Persuade (cont.)
• The Direct Persuasion Route
o When you as the listener elaborate, you are
considering the logic of the message.
o It is thinking about the arguments and reasoning.

• The Indirect Persuasion Route

o Other times you listen to gain an overall impression.
o You are persuaded by the feeling about the
message or the speaker.
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
 How to Motivate Listeners
LO 3

 Use Cognitive Dissonance

Telling listeners about existing problems or information that is
inconsistent with their currently held beliefs or known information
creates psychological discomfort.
• Listeners may discredit the source.
• Listeners may reinterpret the message.
• Listeners may seek new information.
• Listeners may stop listening.
• Listeners may change their attitudes, beliefs,
or behavior.
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
 How to Motivate Listeners
LO 3

 Use Listeners’ Needs

Abraham Maslow suggests there are five levels of needs, with the
most basic of these needs at the bottom of the needs pyramid.
The most basic needs must be met before the other needs become
important and motivational.
•Physiological Needs
•Safety Needs
•Social Needs
•Self-Esteem Needs
•Self-Actualization Needs
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
 How to Motivate Listeners
LO 3

 Use Positive Motivation

People will be more likely to change if they are convinced good
things will happen if they support what the speaker advocates.
• Emphasize Positive Values
o Think about and list all the positive values that people desire
in their lives.
o To motivate, you need to connect to these common positive
values and desires.
• Emphasize Benefits, Not Just Features
o Benefit is the good result that will transpire if people take
action.
o Feature is just a characteristic of whatever we are discussing.
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
 How to Motivate Listeners
LO 3

 Use Negative Motivation

People seek to avoid pain and discomfort. They will be motivated if
they are convinced bad things will happen to them unless they
follow the advice of the speaker.
• A threat to a loved one is more successful than a fear
appeal directed at the audience.
• The more credible the speaker, the greater the
likelihood the appeal to fear will succeed.
• Fear appeals are more successful if you can convince
listeners the threat is real and will probably occur
unless they take action.

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

 How to Motivate Listeners
LO 3

 Use Negative Motivation

(cont.)
• In general, increasing the
intensity of a fear appeal
increases the chances the fear
appeal will be affective.
• Fear appeals are more
successful when you can
convince listeners they have the
power to make a change to
reduce the fear-causing threat.
Photo: Polaris/Newscom

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

How to Develop Your Audience-
Centered Persuasive Speech - LO 4
 Consider the Audience
• Consider audience
diversity – don’t design a
persuasive message using
strategies only effective in
your own culture.
• Remember your ethical
responsibilities as a
persuader – never
fabricate evidence or
frighten with bogus
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information.
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
How to Develop Your Audience-
Centered Persuasive Speech - LO 4
 Select and Narrow Your Persuasive
Topic
• First think about things you are passionate about, a
topic that concerns you.
• Choose a controversial topic, meaning a topic about
which people disagree.
 Determine Your Persuasive Purpose
• Social judgment theory suggests that when confronted
with a persuasive message, people will: 1) generally
agree, 2) disagree, or 3) not have a committed opinion.
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
How to Develop Your Audience-
Centered Persuasive Speech - LO 4
 Develop Your Central Idea and Main
Ideas
• Proposition of Fact – focuses on whether something is
true or false or whether it did or did not happen.
• Proposition of Value – is a statement that calls for the
listener to judge the worth or importance of something.
Deals with good or bad and right or wrong.
• Proposition of Policy – advocates for a specific action,
a changing of a policy, procedure, or behavior. Often
includes the words “should” or “should not.”

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

How to Develop Your Audience-
Centered Persuasive Speech - LO 4
 Gather Supporting Material
• Focus on looking for the available means of
persuasion to support your main ideas.
• Look for material that is ethical, logical, and includes
appropriate emotional appeal.
 Organize Your Persuasive Speech
• This speech should have the same necessary
organizational structure as all speeches –
introduction, conclusion, signposts, and outline.
• You will want to consider the proper persuasive
structure to guide your outline development.
© Pearson Education Limited 2015.
How to Develop Your Audience-
Centered Persuasive Speech - LO 4
 Rehearse and Deliver Your Speech
• When your goal is to persuade, you want to
make a special effort to practice in front of
someone to get feedback on your persuasiveness.
• You need to make every effort to communicate your
passion and enthusiasm.
• The Elaboration Likelihood Model predicts that your
delivery can, in itself, be persuasive if you have
crafted your message well and deliver it persuasively.

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.

 Chapter 14
THANK YOU

© Pearson Education Limited 2015.