RhetoricPower of Persuasion

What Is Rhetoric ?

Aristotle: Classic rhetoric argues that to properly persuade an audience, the speaker or writer must master Ethos, Logos, and Pathos

Persuasion is not

Ethos Logos Pathos

Ethos appeal based on the character of the speaker.

reputation of the author.

originally defined by Aristotle in On Rhetoric as being trustworthy. He stated that we are more likely to believe people who have good character.

we are more likely to be persuaded by someone who is similar to us

Elements of Ethos measure the ethos of a

speaker: Trustworthiness (as

perceived by the audience) Similarity (to the

audience) Authority (relative to the

audience) Reputation or Expertise

(relative to the topic)

Trustworthiness

Honest, Ethical or moral, Generous, or Benevolent

Be a Chameleon

adapt your language, your mannerisms, your dress, your visuals, and your overall style to match your audience.

characteristics which you might share with your audience: Age, Gender, Race, Culture

Socio-economic statusRich? Poor? Educated? Middle-class? Urban? Rural?

CitizenshipWhere you are from, whether in a global sense (what country are you from?), or in a local sense (are you urban, or rural?)

Career or AffiliationDo you share a profession with your audience?Are you a member of the same organization as your audience?

PersonalityAnalytical? Emotional? Reserved? Outgoing?

If you are similar to your audience, then your audience will be more receptive to your ideas in the same way that you are more likely to open a door at night if you recognize the voice of the person on the other side.

Authority: the relationship between the speaker and the audience

Organizational authoritye.g. CEO, manager, supervisor

Political authoritye.g. president, political leader

Religious authoritye.g. priest, pastor, nun

Educational authoritye.g. principal, teacher, professor

Elder authoritye.g. anyone who is older than us

Reputation/Expertisewhat you know about your topic. what your audience knows about

what you know about your topic.

Your reputation is determined by several related factors: Your experience in the field

How many years have you worked with or studied this topic? Your proximity to the topic or concept

Your production in the fieldBooks or academic papers written. Blogs authored. Commercial products developed.

Your demonstrated skillIf you are talking about money management, are you a successful money manager?

Your achievements, or recognition from others in the fieldAwards won. Testimonials earned. Records achieved. Milestones reached.

Logos Logos names the appeal to

reason/logic/common sense

Does your message make sense?

Is your message based on facts, statistics, and evidence?

Will your call-to-action lead to the desired outcome that you promise?

How does the writer/speaker appeal logos? Theoretical, abstract  language Denotative

meanings/reasons Literal and historical analogies Definitions Factual data and statistics Quotations Citations from experts and authorities Informed opinions

Pathos Emotions — whether fear or love, pity or anger —

are powerful motivators for your audience. An audience emotionally stimulated in the right way is more likely to accept your claims and act on your requests.

By learning how to make emotional appeals, you greatly improve your effectiveness as a speaker. The word pathos is derived from the ancient Greek word for “suffering” or “experience”.

On Rhetoric. Aristotle identified the following seven sets of emotions, with each pair representing opposites:

“As a speaker, your goal is to create a shared emotional experience with your audience.” Anger and Calmness Friendship and Enmity Fear and Confidence Shame and Shamelessness Kindness and Unkindness Pity and Indignation Envy and Emulation

Don’t be Emo Basic Emotions

Joy — Sadness Trust — Disgust Fear — Anger Surprise — Anticipation

Advanced Emotions Optimism — Disappointment Love — Remorse Submission — Contempt Awe — Aggressiveness

Why Evoke Audience Emotions at All?

Cannot be random emotions

make your audience angry

direct that anger at your opponent.

Pathos SuperhighwaysLet’s review these superhighways from which you

can create the pathos of your presentation. Themes and Points Words Analogies and Metaphors Stories Humor Visuals Delivery Techniques

Ethos logos pathos