Persuasive Speaking and Credibility Insights

Nov 18, 2024

Lecture Notes on Persuasive Speaking and Credibility

Introduction

  • Focus on credibility in persuasive speaking.
  • Importance of opinion leaders in an audience.

Opinion Leaders

  • Definition: Individuals who influence decisions, attitudes, and behaviors of an audience due to their respected judgment or background.
  • Role: Lead the mindset of groups; influential in forming opinions.
  • Identification: Successful presenters identify opinion leaders associated with their audience (e.g., employers, colleagues).

Using Opinion Leaders

  • Integration: Reference these leaders clearly and frequently.
  • Strategies:
    • Demonstrate similarities in rationale between opinion leaders and the speaker.
    • Give credit to opinion leaders' accomplishments.
  • Types of Opinion Leaders:
    • Internal: Present within the audience.
    • External: Prominent figures not present (e.g., politicians, celebrities).

Credibility

  • Definition: Credibility is perceived by the audience; "in the eye of the beholder."
  • Elements:
    • Trustworthiness
    • Competence
    • Dynamism

Ethos Credibility

  • Definition: Persuasion based on who or what the source is.
  • Building Ethos:
    • Competence: Expertise in subject matter.
    • Trustworthiness: Being reliable and ethical.
    • Dynamism: Impactful delivery and energy.

Sources of Credibility

  • Speaker: The speaker themselves.
  • Sources: Cited individuals or references.

Types of Credibility

  • Extrinsic Credibility: Established outside the presentation (e.g., reputation, introductory speaker).
  • Intrinsic Credibility: Built during the presentation through the speaker's delivery and engagement.

Aesthetic Components of Credibility

  • Preparation, sincerity, poise, and firmness enhance credibility.
  • Qualifications: Degrees, affiliations, accomplishments boost credibility.

Persuasion Process

  • Five Phases:
    1. Awareness of a message.
    2. Interest in the message.
    3. Evaluation of the message and feelings about it.
    4. Trial period to judge feasibility.
    5. Decision-making phase.
  • Persuasion Dropouts: Withdrawal at any phase.

Preventing Persuasion Dropouts

  • Presentation Order:
    • Climax Order: Weakest to strongest argument.
    • Anti-Climax Order: Strongest to weakest argument.
    • Pyramid Order: Strongest argument between weaker ones.
  • One-sided vs Two-sided Presentation:
    • One-sided: Used for audiences that agree.
    • Two-sided: Used for skeptical audiences.

Strategies for Acceptance

  • Reasons for Acceptance:
    • Speaker’s high credibility.
    • Effective use of evidence and sources.
    • Emotional appeal (Pathos credibility).

Establishing Character

  • Traits for Credibility:
    • Sincerity
    • Trustworthiness
    • Audience concern

Types of Credibility

  • Initial Credibility: Before speaking (extrinsic).
  • Derived Credibility: During the speech (intrinsic).
  • Terminal Credibility: At the end of the speech; desired goal for speakers.

Conclusion

  • Understanding and establishing credibility is crucial for persuasive speaking.
  • Credibility is as important as logic and reasoning in persuasion.