Chapter Summary

This chapter examines the topic of message selection and organization. First, depending on characteristics of the audience, it is sometimes better for a persuader to advance explicit claims, but at other times, it is best to let audience members draw their own conclusions. Second, when selecting material to use in messages, quality arguments matter with audiences that will scrutinize the message, but quantity is more effective for less discerning audiences. Third, the chapter discusses the role of evidence, message repetition, and the ways in which arguments might be ordered or arranged in a speech. Finally, the chapter examines tactics, including inoculation and forewarning, that increase a person’s resistance to persuasion.

Quiz

1. 

Jasmine posts a review saying, Other gyms only offer treadmills and bikes

but FitFlex has treadmills

Explicit conclusion

Implicit conclusion

Anticlimax order

Pyramidal order

None

2. 

Maya lists her best reasons first and her weaker reasons last when trying to convince her friends to go on a weekend trip. Her overall message demonstrates a/an:

Explicit conclusion

One-sided message

Inoculation strategy

Anticlimax order

None

3. 

Two authors, Alex and Jordan, will each give a 10-minute reading from their latest book at a local literary festival. Attendees will vote for their favorite book a week later. Based on order effects in persuasion, if Alex can choose when to read, which option should he choose?

He should read before Jordan

He should read after Jordan

He should read after Jordan, but only if he presents both sides of the story

It doesn’t matter; attendees will forget by next week

None

4. 

Before a product demonstration, a tech company warns potential customers that competitors might exaggerate the risks of their product. This tactic is an example of:

An anticlimax order

Cultural truisms

Inoculation

Forewarning

None

5. 

During a debate, a candidate arranges for supporters to shout interruptions while the opponent speaks in order to throw them off. This political tactic is known as:

Bracketing

Distracting

Chicanery

Disposition Dissonance

None

6. 

During a city council meeting about recycling policies, Liam is very invested in environmental issues, while Maya is indifferent. Based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), how will they likely process the council member's arguments?

Liam will focus on the amount of arguments provided, and Maya will focus on the number of strong arguments.

Maya will focus on the number of strong arguments, and Liam will focus on the speaker’s introduction and conclusion.

Maya will focus on the amount of arguments provided, and Liam will focus on argument strength.

Both Liam and Maya will listen to the evidence provided, yet Liam will count the number of weak arguments and Maya will count the number of strong arguments.

None

7. 

A public health campaign wants to convince people to get a flu shot. Most people are hesitant to take risks with new vaccines. Which strategy is likely to be most effective?

Emphasizing all the ways getting vaccinated can improve your health (gain-framed)

Emphasizing the health risks you face if you don’t get vaccinated (loss-framed)

Providing only statistics about vaccine effectiveness (information-framed)

Showing emotional stories of people getting vaccinated (emotion-framed)

None

8. 

A new café puts up colorful posters around town showing only its name for several weeks before opening. Over time, people start feeling more positively about the café just because they've seen its name repeatedly. This strategy is an example of:

Gain-framed messaging

Social impact model

Mere exposure effect

Inoculation

None

9. 

A public health official is trying to convince the community to exercise regularly. Which type of evidence is generally most persuasive?

Sharing nationwide statistics on the benefits of exercise

Telling one story about a neighbor who got healthier from exercising

Both statistical and anecdotal evidence are equally persuasive

None

10. 

Rob presents his strong arguments first and his weak arguments last when trying to convince his wife why they should buy a new boat. His overall message is said to have an inoculation strategy.

True

False

None

11. 

A cultural truism is a belief that is false but is believed to be true

True

False

None

12. 

The political practice of sending in hecklers to interfere with an opponent's campaign is known as bracketing

True

False

None

13. 

According to research on message organization, the least effective approach is a _ order.

14. 

_ is best used when receivers rely on central processing.

15. 

Whereas inoculation refutes and exposes people to a weakened dose of the attacking message, _ only makes people aware of a possible counterattitudinal attack.

Time’s up

Essay Questions

1. The text suggests that forewarning and distraction affect the process of persuasion. In what ways do they do this? Based on what you know about forewarning and distraction, what advice would you give to a politician who is about to engage in a debate with another politician?
2. When persuaders are faced with the decision of using many weak arguments or a small number of strong arguments, what should they do? Why?
3. The text notes that early research regarding one-sided versus two-sided arguments was inconsistent.  Describe the inconsistency. How was it resolved? What advice would you give to someone who was trying to decide whether to use a one- or two-sided message?