Persuasive Speeches
CONSTRAINTS ON EFFECTIVE PERSUASIVE SPEAKING
Selective Listening
-audience attends to messages, interprets them , and remembers them selectively
-if vague or unclear the audience will “clarify” with their views
-start with areas of agreement and move to differences
-audience may ignore message because of common ground
Selective Perception
Denial- refuse to accept a message that challenges them to change no matter what
Dismissal- dispute that the message doesn’t apply to them
Belittling the Source- questioning credibility of source
Compartmentalization- avoid influence by keeping separate from their conflicting belief
Selective Influence
Polysemic- multiple meanings due to audience experiences, beliefs, and expectatiosn
The Boomerang Effect- message turns back on speaker because it overwhelms audience
STRATEGIC RESOURCES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
Strengthening Commitment
- Consciousness Raising- making people aware of values and commitments that are taken for granted
Moving from Education to Commitment- provide background information to understand issue
Increasing the Sense of Urgency- 1. the issue is important 2. it could be decided either way 3. it will be decided soon 4. listener’s action are essentail
Weakening Commitment
Finding a Critical Distinction- invoke a different principle to audience
Refutation- object to claim with new claim and object speaker’s inferences 1. Identify the position to be attacked 2. Explain significance of position 3. Present and develop the attack 4. Explain the impact of the refutation
Rebuilding Arguments showing that the attack was flawed developing independent reasons for the audience to believe the original claim
Conversion
-chip away at edged of belief identify puzzling situations that cause quesitons raise awareness seek small changes make audience believe you have interest reluctant testimony- a statement that is at odds with your own interest biased evidence
Selective Listening
-audience attends to messages, interprets them , and remembers them selectively
-if vague or unclear the audience will “clarify” with their views
-start with areas of agreement and move to differences
-audience may ignore message because of common ground
Selective Perception
Denial- refuse to accept a message that challenges them to change no matter what
Dismissal- dispute that the message doesn’t apply to them
Belittling the Source- questioning credibility of source
Compartmentalization- avoid influence by keeping separate from their conflicting belief
Selective Influence
Polysemic- multiple meanings due to audience experiences, beliefs, and expectatiosn
The Boomerang Effect- message turns back on speaker because it overwhelms audience
STRATEGIC RESOURCES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
Strengthening Commitment
- Consciousness Raising- making people aware of values and commitments that are taken for granted
Moving from Education to Commitment- provide background information to understand issue
Increasing the Sense of Urgency- 1. the issue is important 2. it could be decided either way 3. it will be decided soon 4. listener’s action are essentail
Weakening Commitment
Finding a Critical Distinction- invoke a different principle to audience
Refutation- object to claim with new claim and object speaker’s inferences 1. Identify the position to be attacked 2. Explain significance of position 3. Present and develop the attack 4. Explain the impact of the refutation
Rebuilding Arguments showing that the attack was flawed developing independent reasons for the audience to believe the original claim
Conversion
-chip away at edged of belief identify puzzling situations that cause quesitons raise awareness seek small changes make audience believe you have interest reluctant testimony- a statement that is at odds with your own interest biased evidence
Cited: Zarefsky, Public Speaking: Strategies for Success, (Custom Edition), 2010.