emotional appeal

(noun)

An an attempt to make the audience feel certain emotions so that they will be more likely to be engaged by the speech. Also known as pathos.

Related Terms

Examples of emotional appeal in the following topics:

  • Employ Empathy and Sensitivity

    • Appealing to the empathy and sensitivity of the audience is broadly termed an emotional appeal.
    • However, emotional appeals can also backfire if used incorrectly.
    • If taken too far, an appeal to emotion can seem to be forced.
    • Audiences can tell the difference between an honest emotional appeal and an attempt is to manipulate how they feel.
    • List the benefits and drawbacks of using an emotional appeal in your speech

  • Producing an Emotional Appeal

    • Producing an emotional appeal requires an understanding of your audience and what may strike their emotions the most.
    • Pathos is an emotional appeal used in rhetoric that depicts certain emotional states.
    • These words can be used in a speech to intensify an emotional appeal to an audience.
    • It is considered by many as a prime example of successful rhetoric and emotional appeal.
    • Identify the components that produce an emotional appeal in a speech

  • Ethical Usage

    • When you make emotional appeals avoid unethical tactics, such as exploitative manipulation.
    • An emotional appeal may save you the trouble of working out a good argument.
    • However, emotional appeals don't always hold up well after the fact when your audience has had a chance to process your message.
    • Therefore, be sure to substantiate your emotional appeal with both logic and facts.
    • In order to ethically portray an emotional appeal, be sure to avoid these inappropriate uses and manipulative techniques for emotional appeals.

  • Defining Emotional Appeal

    • An emotional appeal is used to sway the emotions of an audience to make them support the speaker's argument.
    • Pathos represents an appeal to the audience's emotions.
    • An emotional appeal is directed to sway an audience member's emotions and uses the manipulation of the recipient's emotions rather than valid logic to win an argument.
    • In an emotional appeal, persuasive language is used to develop the foundation of an appeal to emotion-based arguments instead of facts.
    • Children are more often than not toddled out as an appeal to emotion.

  • Using Different Kinds of Appeals

    • The two primary kinds of appeals are evidential and emotional appeals.
    • An emotional appeal is intended to cause the audience to feel a certain way so that they will be convinced by the speaker.
    • Metaphors, stories, and passionate delivery are all emotional appeals because their effectiveness lies not only in the words, but in the emotions they evoke in the audience.
    • Ultimately, the effectiveness of an emotional appeal is determined only by the audience.
    • If the audience does not feel the intended emotions, by definition, the appeal has failed.

  • Types of Supporting Materials

    • There are many types of supporting materials, some of which are better suited for logical appeals and some for emotional appeals.
    • Facts and figures are necessary for logical appeals .
    • Personal experience is useful for emotional appeals, but is not always good for more scientific arguments.
    • However, it is particularly useful for making emotional appeals.

  • Using Supporting Materials Effectively

    • The type of appeal: emotional and logical appeals tend to be supported by different types of materials.
    • All types of supporting material can be used for emotional appeals, but providing data may not be as effective as providing anecdotes for connecting with the audience.
    • For logical appeals, all types can again be used, though the most effective support is scientific evidence, because it is empirical and true.

  • Defining Evidence

    • Evidential appeals can be used in both emotional and logical appeals, though the method for delivery differs.
    • The audience must be able to understand the evidence before it is used in an appeal.
    • Relevant Context: The evidence must be defined within the context of the appeal.
    • Information used in evidential appeals must serve two purposes at once.
    • First, it must be complete enough that it strengthens the appeal.

  • Persuasive Speeches

    • The core of a persuasive speech is pathos: appealing to and resonating with the audience's feelings and emotions.
    • In addition to pathos, persuasive speeches contain appeals to ethos and logos.
    • An appeal to ethos is used to show the character of the speaker and make him/her more credible.
    • An appeal to logos requires referencing evidence.

  • Ethical Usage

    • Credibility appeals, while an effective form of persuasive speaking, carry a unique set of ethical challenges and considerations.
    • Speeches grounded in the principles of rhetoric focus on three types of rhetorical appeals: logos, pathos, and ethos.
    • While logos and pathos appeal to reason and emotion, respectively, ethos takes on a decidedly different approach entirely.
    • When it comes to ethical usage of credibility appeals, stick to authenticity and speaking honestly about who you are.
    • Explain the ethical challenges of using credibility appeals in persuasive speaking