Page 315 - Essentials of Human Communication

294 ChaPter 14 The Persuasive Speech

CommuniCatinG ethiCally

appeals to emotions

Emotional appeals are all around. People who want to censor the Internet may appeal to parents’ fears about
their children’s accessing pornographic materials. Those who want to restrict media portrayals of violence may
ethical Choice Point appeal to people’s fear of increased violence in their own communities. Here are a few questions to consider as
You’ve been asked by the PTA to you develop your own ethical guidelines for the use of emotional appeals:
address the students at your old ele- ● Is the real estate broker ethical in appealing to your desire for status?
mentary school on the values of de-
laying sexual relationships. Would it ● Is the friend who wants a favor and appeals to your desire for social approval acting ethically?
be ethical to use emotional appeals ● Is the car salesperson’s appeal to your desire for sexual rewards ethical?
to scare them so that they’ll avoid ● Is it ethical for parents to use fear appeals to exaggerate the dangers of sex or smoking pot to prevent
sexual relationships? Would it be
ethical to use the same appeals to their children from engaging in these behaviors?
get them to avoid associating with ● Is it ethical for parents to use fear appeals to prevent their children from interacting with people of dif-
teens of other races? What ethical ferent races or nationalities or affectional orientation?
obligations do you have in using
emotional appeals in these situa-
tions? What would you do?

listening to the Fallacies of emotional Appeals Emotional appeals are all around
you, urging you to do all sorts of things—usually to buy a product or to support a position or
cause. As you listen to these inevitable appeals, consider the following:

Take a look at “Credibility Argument” ● Emotions as proof: No matter how passionate the speaker’s voice or bodily movement,
at tcbdevito.blogspot.com. no matter how compelling the language, passion does not prove the case a speaker is
What do you think about this type presenting.
of “argument”?
● Emotional appeals as diversion: If emotional appeals are being used as a diversion, to the
exclusion of argument and evidence, or if you suspect that the speaker seeks to arouse your
emotions so you forget that there’s no evidence, ask yourself why.
● Appeals to pity: Be especially on the lookout for the appeal to pity.
This is what logicians call argumentum ad misericordiam, as in “I
really need your help; I tried to do the work, but I’ve been having
terrible depression and can’t concentrate.”

CredibiliTY APPeAlS
Your credibility is the degree to which your audience regards you as a
believable spokesperson. Your credibility is in the minds of your audi-
ence; if your listeners see you as competent and knowledgeable, of
good character, and charismatic or dynamic, they’ll find you credible
(i.e., believable). As a result, you’ll be more effective in changing their
attitudes or in moving them to do something.
What makes a speaker credible will vary from one culture to an-
other. In some cultures people see competence as the most important
factor in, say, their choice of a teacher for their preschool children. In
ViewPOinTS other cultures the most important factor might be the goodness or
The Persuasiveness of blogs moral tone of the teacher or perhaps the reputation of the teacher’s
Visit a few blogs and analyze them in terms of their use of logical family. At the same time, every culture may define each of the factors
versus emotional support. Which mode of support dominates? of credibility differently. For example, “character” may mean following
Or, do different types of blogs use different types of support? the rules of a specific religion in some cultures but following your
How are blogs like persuasive speeches? How are they different?
individual conscience in others. The Quran, the Torah, and the New