PERSUASION,

PROPAGANDA, AND

FAULTY REASONING

WHOSE VOICE GUIDES YOUR CHOICE WHEN MAKING

DECISIONS?

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO WILL BE THE BEST PRESIDENT?...

Obama???

Romney???

WHAT ABOUT WHICH MAKE UP TO USE?

EDUCATED STUDENTS…

CHECK THE FACTS! ARE THE COMMERCIALS REALLY GIVING US THE FACTS, OR ARE THEY USING PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES TO PERSUADE US???

YOU MAY BE WONDERING…WHAT IS PROPAGANDA?

• PROPAGANDA IS A SERIES OF TECHNIQUES USED TO INFLUENCE YOUR OPINION, EMOTIONS, ATTITUDES, OR BEHAVIOR.

• SOMETIMES THE FACTS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO GET CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE AN ITEM, SO COMPANIES WILL DRESS UP THEIR PRODUCT TO GET YOU HOOKED, OR TO PERSUADE YOU TO BUY THE PRODUCT, BEFORE CHECKING THE FACTS.

What is this trying to persuade you to do?

APPEAL TO AUTHORITY •THIS IS A PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUE IN WHICH SPEAKER MENTIONS AN IMPORTANT EVENT OR PERSON TO LEND IMPORTANCE OR CREDIBILITY TO HIS ARGUMENT

BANDWAGON•THIS IS A PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUE IN WHICH THE SPEAKER TRIES TO CONVINCE HIS AUDIENCE THAT A PRODUCT IS GOOD BECAUSE "EVERYONE" IS BUYING IT.

CARD STACKING•THIS IS A PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUE AND THE TERM COMES FROM STACKING A DECK OF CARDS IN YOUR FAVOR. IT IS USED TO SLANT A MESSAGE. KEY WORDS OR UNFAVORABLE STATISTICS MAY BE OMITTED IN AN AD OR COMMERCIAL, LEADING TO A SERIES OF HALF-TRUTHS.

ENDORSEMENT/TESTIMONIAL• THIS IS A PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUE WHERE SOMEONE WELL-KNOWN OR RESPECTED STATES THAT THEY USE A PARTICULAR PRODUCT.

GLITTERING GENERALITIES• THESE ARE VAGUE, POSITIVE CONNOTATIONS THAT PRODUCE EMOTIONAL APPEAL BECAUSE THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHLY-VALUED CONCEPTS OR BELIEFS. TYPICALLY USED BY POLITICIANS AND PROPAGANDISTS

INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES• THIS IS A PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUE WHERE AN AUTHOR ADAPTS, COPIES, OR REFERS TO OTHER SOURCES, E.G. ADS REFER TO MOVIES.

NAME CALLING• THIS PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUE CONSISTS OF ATTACHING A NEGATIVE LABEL TO A PERSON OR A THING. PEOPLE ENGAGE IN THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO AVOID SUPPORTING THEIR OWN OPINION WITH FACTS. RATHER THAN EXPLAIN WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, THEY PREFER TO TRY TO TEAR THEIR OPPONENT DOWN.

PLAIN FOLKS APPEAL• THIS IS A PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUE THAT USES A FOLKSY APPROACH TO CONVINCE US TO SUPPORT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING. THESE ADS DEPICT PEOPLE WITH ORDINARY LOOKS DOING ORDINARY ACTIVITIES.

REBUTTAL• THIS IS A VERBAL OR ORAL RESPONSE TO AN ARGUMENT PRESENTING AN OPPOSITE VIEWPOINT

REPETITION• THIS IS A PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUE IN WHICH A WORD, PHRASE, OR ENTIRE SENTENCE IS REPEATED TO REINFORCE THE SPEAKER'S MESSAGE.

SHOCK TACTIC • THIS IS A PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUE WHERE AN AUTHOR USES A LARGE NEGATIVE IMPACT TO ENCOURAGE READERS TO AGREE WITH THEM.

SLANTED WORDS•THIS IS A PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUE WHERE AN AUTHOR USES WORDS PACKED WITH EMOTION TO MAKE THE READER FEEL A PARTICULAR WAY.

STEREOTYPING• THESE ARE SIMPLIFIED IMAGES THAT NARROWLY DEFINE CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

TABLOID THINKING• THIS IS A PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUE WHERE A WRITER OVERSIMPLIFIES COMPLEX ISSUES.

FAULTY REASONING

•FACTUAL SUPPORTING DETAILS ARE USED

THOUGH THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE

CONCLUSION. IT WORKS LIKE THIS:

DOES THE USE OF THESE TECHNIQUES MAKE THE PRODUCT UN-RELIABLE?

•NO! WE MUST MAKE OUR OWN CHOICE BY…

•WE READ AND LISTEN TO RELIABLE SOURCES,

•WE WATCH FOR COMBINATIONS OF TRUTHS AND LIES,

•WE CHECK FOR HIDDEN MESSAGES,

•WE WATCH FOR USE OF PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES,

•AND WE MUST LISTEN TO OUR OWN VOICE!