Chapter 24 Activities

1. What is persuasion, and what is persuasive speaking? Give an everyday example of persuasion.

   Persuasion: A deliberate process of influence, of convincing others to share your beliefs

   Persuasive speaking: A speech that is meant to influence audience members’ attitudes, beliefs, values, and/or behavior by appealing to some combination of their needs, desires, interests, and even fears.

2. The textbook identifies five factors that increase the odds that your efforts at persuasion will succeed. List as many of them as you can.
   • Speakers should set modest goals, because one who seeks only minor changes is more successful than the persuader who seeks major changes.
   • Speakers should expect to be more successful when addressing an audience whose position differs only moderately from their own.
   • The message should be personally relevant to the audience.
   • Speakers should demonstrate positive consequences of their positions.
   • Speakers should establish credibility.
3. What are Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion called? Give an everyday example of each one.
   • Logos: Refers to persuasive appeals directed at the audience’s reasoning on a topic
   • Pathos: Refers to persuasive appeals directed at the audience’s emotions
   • Ethos: Refers to persuasive appeals that are based on the nature of the speaker’s moral character and personality