COMM 3610U Study Guide - Final Guide: Betty Friedan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mein Kampf
Persuasion Exam Review
Part A: Short Answer – 13 will be on the exam, Pick 6 to answer
1. What is propaganda, and when did it get a bad name?
a. Propaganda is the deliberate attempt to influence someone to advance the gains of
those propagating the message (the propagandist). It turned into a negative term in
1622
2. What is rhetoric, and is it a positive or negative term, according to Beeson?
a. Rhetoric is
3. What are the distinctions between informative speech, persuasion, and propaganda?
a) Informative speech instructs about ideas, people, and events
a. Ex. Gas is $4
b) Persuasion transmits information and seeks to convince or influence
a. Ex. I need to convince my family that we need a vacation
c) Propaganda is the deliberate attempt to influence someone to advance the gains of
those propagating the message
a. Trump is ruining my life
4. How has technology changed from the time Aristotle's citizens spoke in the Assembly and
now that mass media spread messages internationally?
5. Please summarize and explain the application of Walter Fisher's Narrative Theory
a) Fisher created the narrative paradigm – Humans are storytellers that covey
universal truth. Because we interpret stories through socialization, we do not need
experts to decode.
b) It is a communication theory that claims all meaningful communication occurs vis
storytelling.
c) Application – can be applied to Mein Kampf, although it held structure, it lacked
fidelity
6. Please summarize and explain the application of Jacques Ellul's La Technique
7. Please summarize and explain the application of Hugh Rank's Intensify/Downplay
Model of Persuasion
a) Hugh Rank believed that we live in a double speak world were much
communication is intended to mislead rather than to elevate discourse. Essentially
the schema explained how unethical speakers will intensify their good qualities
through repetition and association, and downplay their bad qualities through
omission, diversion and confusion. This model of persuasion is easily applied and
supports logic that we put our best foot forward when we wish to create a
favourable impression. This can be seen through political ads. h
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8. What is mere exposure theory? How does it account for the power that entertainers such as
Justin Bieber, the Kardashians, and Jennifer Lawrence have?
b) Mere-Exposure theory is a psychological phenomenon that states that repeated exposure
to an unfamiliar source can eventually have a positive effect toward the source. An
example of this is Arnold Schwarzenegger being elected as mayor, he was just an actor
who wasn’t suited for politics, but his name was known,
9. What is the Elaboration Likelihood Model and how does it account for understanding and
cognition?
c) ELM states that when listeners are not very informed or able to elaborate, they are more
likely to be heavily influenced by the person speaking the source of the message. If a
listener is motivated, they may not care about the source. Better informed listeners will
use the central processing route as it involves high-involvement processing. Less
informed listeners will use the peripheral route as they are low-involvement.
10. Why and how have drug prevention programs failed to change attitudes toward drug use in
the United States? What about drug policy?
11. What is was the problem that had no name, and what did the work of Friedan
contribute to conversations about gender in the 1960s?
d) The problem that had no name is a book written by Betty Friedan which is credited
with sparking the beginning of second-wave feminism. The work of Friedan sparked
legislation in regard to the Equal Pay Act. Additionally, the National Organization
for Women was organized, which Frieden was a part of.
12. According to Beeson, what is the role of language in determining gendered descriptors (like
Ms. and Mrs.) in the workplace. Do salutations make any difference in how women were (are)
perceived in the workplace?
e) In regard to language in the workplace, many desired to go by Ms. Instead of Mrs. As it
was a neutral term that did not signify marital status. They believed this was more
desirable as you could not tell the marital status of a man by Mr.
13. What is a fallacy, and why is it important in studying persuasion. Outline and explain
three different kinds of fallacies identified by Lillian Beeson.
f) A fallacy is an error in reasoning that lead to incorrect conclusions. “a fallacy is an
argument that is flawed through irrelevant or inadequate evidence.
a. Ad Hominem – where one attacks the person or source of the argument
rather than responding to the ideas offered. Ex. Parent trying to offer
tutoring, and a student rebelling
b. Argument and Absurdum -an argument that is carried to absurd
proportions. Ex. Husband killed his wife because he didn’t think she was
happy
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