Page 424 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

Chapter 14 Persuasive Speaking 391

the candy isn’t very expensive. The girl is an appealing person, and she seems
sincere. What the heck, you think, I’ll take a box, no, make that two boxes. In
this example, you haven’t engaged in an elaborated process of critical thinking.
Rather, you have just made a snap decision based on peripheral cues. The likeli-
hood of being persuaded by the peripheral route usually depends on such things
as your mood (hunger), emotional cues (such as the appealing salesperson), and
perhaps the apparent credibility of the source (you know she’s a member of the
soccer league by the uniform). The problem with peripheral route processing
is that it does not lead to stable change. You might not be hungry the next time
the girl comes by to sell the candy. But if, as a speaker, you are simply interested
in a short-term persuasive effect, a peripheral route may be suffi cient. And if
your audience is uninterested or unwilling to engage in central route process-
ing, it may be your only alternative. But beware: Persuasion that occurs as a
result of the peripheral route is easily reversed. While this isn’t a problem for the
girl going door to door selling candy, imagine the effect on the tobacco educa-
tion program if it turns out that most public service announcements on TV only
stimulate peripheral route processing in youth. Do we really want a tobacco ed-
ucation program that doesn’t involve long-term change that is also resistant to
subsequent change?
To summarize: Elaboration likelihood clearly suggests an active role on the
part of the audience you hope to persuade. This active role includes (1) seeing
your topic as relevant to their needs, (2) understanding and comprehending your
message, and (3) centrally processing the nature and quality of the information
you offer in terms of their preexisting knowledge and beliefs.

Six Principles of Infl uence

Robert Cialdini is not just a highly respected scholar; he is also an in-demand
public speaker who frequently presents his message to gatherings of CEOs, Wall
Street traders, international diplomats, and fellow academics. He speaks about

what he knows best—the how and why of influence. His advice is grounded in
theory and research but also is easy to grasp and put into practice.
Cialdini suggests that people have been conditioned over thousands of years of
civilized life to respond positively to six simple principles embedded in the con-
cepts of reciprocity, liking, authority, social support, scarcity, and commitment.

Reciprocity
The saying “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours” illustrates reciprocity.
A reciprocity-based appeal can work in one of two ways in a persuasive speech.
Candidates for political offi ce often promise to give something in return for a
person’s vote. They may promise to reciprocate by proposing legislation, sup-
porting a specifi c bill, or voicing a concern of their constituency.
Another common way reciprocity is used in a persuasive speech is when the
speaker calls on the audience to reciprocate. During homecoming week, as a
case in point, the school president may appeal to alumni for fi nancial support.
The appeal is usually couched in terms of “giving something back to the institu-
tion that gave you so much.”