Persuasive Techniques. Flashcards
Ad hominem attack
Attack on a person rather than their opinion/reasoning.
- Emotive language to create a stong negative depiction of a person/group.
- Undermines the credibility of the opposition, positioning the audience to dismiss their ideas/viewpoints.
eg. “You’re stupid, so I don’t care what you have to say.”
Alliteration
Repetition of the same letter sounds at the start of a word.
- Adds emphasis.
- Draws attention to keywords - positive/negative.
eg. “Bob brought the box of bricks to the basement.”
Analogy
Comparison between 2 things helps the audience to draw conclusions about similarities
- Explains a complex point in more familiar terms - positive/negative.
- Helps make the contention look simple and obvious by linking it to something the audience knows well.
eg. “She’s as blind as a bat.”
Ancedote.
A story about someone/something that the writer has experienced or heard about.
- Lends credibility to the writer’s viewpoint, including the reader to trust in the opinion of the writer.
- Gives the issue more of a human angle, to seem more relevant and real.
eg. “I once had a border collie. She was so smart! Every morning, I’d open the front door and she’d run and pick up the newspaper and deliver it to my husband at the breakfast table.”
Appeal to being updated.
Engages with an individual’s desire to be part of the crowd and not be left behind.
- adopt new technology and practices.
- make changes less intimidating.
eg. “The Grand Prix form is terribly last century. Wake me up when it’s 100% electric and half of the drivers are women.”
Appeal to family values.
The assumption is that families are inherently good.
- Emotional security and a protective, nurturing environment for children.
- Work simplicity when antisocial behaviour is blamed on dysfunctional families.
eg. “Our kids are missing out on precious family time - having dinner together, playing board games. These experiences are the foundation of wellbeing and belonging.
Appeal to fear and insecurity.
Arouses fear and anxiety by suggesting that harmful/unpleasant effects will follow.
- Plays on people’s fears, eliciting a strong emotional reaction to the issue, rather than a logical response.
- Lessen the threat to themselves/society by taking the writer’s advice.
eg. “Smoking kills in many ways.”
Appeal to financial self-interest
People should pay the least amount possible - individually or as a society. Public funds should be used appropriately.
- + feels pleased about getting value for money.
- – annoyed about paying too much/misuse
eg. “The premier must stop spending taxpayer dollars to fund his own political advertising.”
Appeal to fairness and justice.
A belief that everyone has the right to be treated equally and fairly.
- Action should be taken to avoid injustice.
- Places any practice that treats people fairly in a positive light.
eg. “How is it fair that a man makes $1 to the 75c a woman would earn in the same job.”
Appeal to loyalty and/or patriotism.
The audience is loyal to their group/loves their country.
- Feelings of pride, shared identity and common purpose.
- Attack a practice or the points of view as being inconsistent with the group’s values.
eg. “I’d like to see an end to offshore detention centres - it would end the weight of shame and disgust that so many of us, as Australians, have carried on our shoulders.”
Appeal to tradition and custom.
Traditional values and customs are valuable and should be preserved.
- Resist change and favour past/existing traditions.
- Comparison with ‘modern’ lifestyles makes the audience feel that social cohesion is being lost.
eg. “Good Friday used to be primary a day of quiet, and reflection. There are AFL games on Good Friday, couldn’t we have kept a few days sport free?”
Cliche.
A common, overused phrase that can be quickly understood.
- Familiarity, reassuring the audience.
- Comic effect, reducing tension or producing a sarcastic critical tone as part of an attack.
eg. “There is plenty of fish in the sea.”
“Woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
Creating a dichotomy.
Description of an issue with 2 opposing sides, good and bad.
- Positions the audience to see the writer’s viewpoint as obvious/self-evident.
- Loaded language to characterize both sides in strongly + or - terms.
eg.”Heaven-hell”
“Choose to lock emissions and deepen the energy crisis or take an earnest step towards a safer, cleaner future.”
Emotive Language.
Strong emotional impact, using the positive and negative connotations of words, influences the audience’s response.
- Encourages audience to response on an emotional level.
- Emotional response positions them to share the writer’s viewpoint.
eg. “An innocent bystander was murdered in cold blood in Downtown Chicago.”
Exaggeration, overstatement and hyperbole.
Exaggeration of the situation to add a dramatic effect.
- Attracts the audience’s attention through a surprising or extreme claim.
- Generate humour - positive viewpoint.
eg. “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
