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The Power of Persuasive Speaking

The document discusses the importance of persuasion in daily life and introduces three main strategies: Logos, Ethos, and Pathos. It explains how people process persuasive messages through the Central and Peripheral Routes, and emphasizes the role of logic, credibility, and emotions in effective communication. Understanding these strategies can enhance our communication skills and help us recognize persuasive attempts by others.

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17 views2 pages

The Power of Persuasive Speaking

The document discusses the importance of persuasion in daily life and introduces three main strategies: Logos, Ethos, and Pathos. It explains how people process persuasive messages through the Central and Peripheral Routes, and emphasizes the role of logic, credibility, and emotions in effective communication. Understanding these strategies can enhance our communication skills and help us recognize persuasive attempts by others.

Uploaded by

Astrid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

The power of persuasive speaking

Introduction
Today, I want to talk about something we all use in our daily lives—
persuasion. Whether we are convincing our friends to watch a movie,
discussing ideas in class, or even persuading our parents to let us travel,
persuasion is a powerful tool.
In this chapter, we learn how persuasion works, and the three main strategies
used to persuade others: Logos, Ethos, and Pathos. Understanding these
strategies can make us better communicators.
How People Process Persuasive Messages
A popular theory called the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) explains that
people process information in two ways:
1. the Central Route – occurs when people think deeply about a message,
analyzing facts, logic, and evidence.
Example: A student researching different universities before making a
decision is using the central route because they focus on details like
academic programs, and reputation.
2. The Peripheral Route – happens when people focus on surface-level
aspects, such as appearance, emotions, or endorsements.
Example: A celebrity endorsing a brand of sneakers might persuade
fans to buy them—not because of their quality, but because of their
association with the celebrity.
Logos – The Power of Logic
 Logos is about using reasoning and evidence to persuade people.
 It includes two types of reasoning: inductive (is a specific example
leading to a conclusion) and deductive (is starting with a general idea
and applying it to specific cases).
 Also, we need to be careful with fallacies—these are mistakes in
reasoning that can make an argument weak.
Example: If I say, “All students who study hard pass their exams, and I
studied hard, so I will pass,” that is deductive reasoning.
Ethos – The Power of Credibility
 Ethos is about trust. People believe speakers who are knowledgeable,
honest, and confident.
 You can build ethos by using facts, having a professional appearance,
and demonstrating experience.
Example: Imagine a doctor giving health advice versus a random person
from the internet. Who would you trust more? That’s ethos at work!
Pathos – The Power of Emotions
 Pathos is about making people feel something—fear, happiness,
excitement, or even sadness.
 Stories, personal experiences, and emotional language help create
strong connections with the audience.
Example: Advertisements often use pathos. A commercial showing a sad
puppy needing a home is using emotions to persuade people to adopt
pets.

Conclusion
Persuasion is a skill we use every day, whether we realize it or not. By
understanding logos, ethos, and pathos, we can become better
communicators and recognize when others are trying to persuade us.
Remember, effective persuasion is not about tricking people—it’s about
presenting ideas clearly and honestly.

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