PATHOS: EVOKING YOUR LISTENERS’ EMOTIONS

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When used with ethos and logos, emotional appeals—known as pathos—help you put a human face on a problem you’re addressing. When you stir your listeners’ feelings, you enhance your persuasive power. Indeed, some experts have referred to human emotions as “the primary motivating system of all activity.”15 Thus, if you provide a heartwarming example of a person who benefited greatly from taking an action you’re recommending in your speech, that could be a compelling complement to statistical evidence indicating all who could benefit. An emotional appeal can be an effective, ethical component of a strong persuasive speech; however, these kinds of appeals can also be abused, so it is important to use them responsibly.