Chapter 16 Persuasive Speaking 481Pathos
Another means of persuasion is appealing to the listeners’ emotions. The term
Aristotle used for this is pathos. It requires creating a certain disposition in the
audience, often through emotionally charged language and description. For
example, consider this statement: “The sight of fishermen slashing and slicing
baby seals should send chills through even the numbest and most stoic fur-wearers
on earth.” Makes your skin crawl, doesn’t it?
Although emotion can be a powerful means of moving an audience, emo-
tional appeals may be not effective if used in isolation—particularly if the emo-
tion you arouse is fear (Rothman, Salovey, Turvey, & Fishkin, 1993; Sutton,
1982). In fact, fear appeals are typically only effective if the speaker can get the
audience to see that the threat is serious, that it is likely to happen to them, and
that there is a specific action they can take to avoid the threat (Boster & Mongeau,
1984; Maddux & Rogers, 1983).
Pathos is typically most effective when used alongside logos and ethos,
which offer ways of dealing with and addressing the emotions. For example,
consider the Montana Meth Project (2013), “a large-scale prevention program
aimed at reducing Meth use through public service messaging, public policy,
and community outreach” in the state of Montana. The organization’s ads are
indeed emotional, graphic, and frightening, playing into viewers’ love of fam-
ily and friends, fear of poor health and degenerating appearance, and sense of
shame and horror. A particularly moving print ad depicts an unconscious young
woman in an emergency room. It reads, “No one ever thinks they’ll wake up
here. Meth will change that” (Montana Meth Project, 2013). But the logical
appeal is also sound—teenagers who become addicted to methamphetamines
will destroy themselves and their loved ones—and the ring of truth enhances the
persuasiveness of the emotional appeal. The project’s follow-up research shows
that the campaign has had overwhelmingly positive results: Teen meth use in
Montana has declined by 63 percent, adult meth use has declined by 72 percent,
and meth-related crime has decreased by 62 percent since the beginning of the
campaign (Montana Meth Project, 2013).
Your word choices have a
powerful impact on your
audience, as words have
different meanings for dif-
ferent people (Chapter 3).
Let’s say you’re persuading
your audience to adopt a
healthy diet. Some people
define healthy as low fat
and high fiber, whereas
others perceive healthy as
an organic, vegan diet. To
make sure your audience
is on the same page,
define how you are using
the term.YourwordchoiceshaveCONNECT
THE MONTANA METH
Project persuades with
appeals to reason, emotion,
and credibility. © The Meth Project