Chapter 15

Question 1

Persuasion

Answer 1

The act of motivating a listener, through communication, to change a particular belief, attitude, value, or behavior

Question 2

Social judgment theory

Answer 2

The theory that opinions will change only in small increments, and only when the target opinions lie within the receivers latitudes of acceptance and non-commitment

Question 3

Anchor

Answer 3

The position supported by audience members before a persuasion attempt

Question 4

Latitude of acceptance

Answer 4

In social judgment theory, statements that receiver would not reject

Question 5

Latitude of rejection

Answer 5

In social judgment theory, statements that receiver would not accept

Question 6

Latitude of non-commitment

Answer 6

In social judgment theory, statements that a receiver would not care strongly about one way or another

Question 7

Proposition of fact

Answer 7

A claim bearing on issue in which there are two or more sides of conflicting factual evidence

Question 8

Proposition of value

Answer 8

A claim bearing on an issue involving the worth of some idea, person, or object

Question 9

Proposition of policy

Answer 9

A claim bearing on an issue that involves adopting or rejecting a specific course of action

Question 10

Convincing

Answer 10

A speech goal that aims at changing audience members beliefs, values, or attitudes

Question 11

Actuate

Answer 11

To move members of an audience towards a specific behavior

Question 12

Direct persuasion

Answer 12

Persuasion that does not try to hide or disguise the speaker’s persuasive purpose

Question 13

Indirect persuasion

Answer 13

Persuasion that disguises or de-emphasizes the speakers persuasive goal

Question 14

Ethos

Answer 14

Appeals based on the credibility of the speaker

Question 15

Pathos

Answer 15

Appeals based on emotion

Question 16

Logos

Answer 16

Appeals based on logical reasoning

Question 17

Fallacy

Answer 17

An error in logic

Question 18

Ad hominem fallacy

Answer 18

A felicious argument that attacks the integrity of a person to weaken the person’s position

Question 19

Reductio ad absurdum fallacy

Answer 19

Felicious reasoning that unfairly attacks and argument by extending it to such extreme lengths that it looks ridiculous

Question 20

Either-or fallacy

Answer 20

Felicious reasoning that sets up false alternatives, suggesting that if the inferior one must be rejected, then the other must be accepted

Question 21

Post hoc fallacy

Answer 21

Felicious reasoning that mistakenly assumes that one event causes another because they occur sequentially

Question 22

Argumentum ad verecundiam fallacy

Answer 22

Felicious reasoning that tries to support a belief by relying on the testimony of someone who is not an authority on the issue being argued

Question 23

Argumentum ad populum fallacy

Answer 23

Felicious reasoning based on the dubious notion that because many people favor an idea, you should, too

Question 24

Target audience

Answer 24

That part of an audience that must be influenced to achieve a persuasive goal

Question 25

Credibility

Answer 25

The believability of a speaker or other source of information

Question 26

Confirmation bias

Answer 26

The emotional tendency to interpret new information as reinforcing of one’s existing beliefs