Emotional Appeal

In Coms 4300, the class studied persuasion through the use of logical and emotional appeals. In the discussion, the class related how advertisements use humor, guilt and even fear to sway people to change their attitudes or beliefs about issues in the world. Sometimes, it is not the intensity of the language that provokes emotions but the image. Kodak, for instance use in their phrase; “A Thousand Words”, meaning one photo can tell the story of millions around the world. However, technology has grown-up and videos capture every moment of human life. Imagery is an important form of persuasion that allows the individual to step back in time and experience the memories and emotions doing that day or time.

Frymier and Nadler (2007), defined emotion appeal as a persuasive message that relies on emotion to be persuasive and to be effective the context or situation should be considered (pp. 242). Today, younger Americans capture their moments though pictures and videos because it’s their testimony to life’s events. The images are not only a memory but emotions summed up in one picture or freeze frame. Although, the image is captivating, emotions can be intensified based on the subject or the meaning of the photo.

It can be argued a well-organized speech can bring out the same emotional intensity because the writer focused on the language characteristics: linguistic specificity and emotional intensity. “Emotional intensity is the amount of affect expressed in the language choices of the source and linguistic specificity is the degree to which a source makes precise reference to attitude objects in a message”( Frymier and Nadler, 2007, p.264).

Words are powerful and can move a generation form one extreme to another. However, the individual must focus on the message and how to relate to his/her audience; in other words, the individual must combine specific and emotional language. For instance, during President Franklin D. Roosevelt first inaugural address, he reassured a nation facing the Great Depression by saying; “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” The speech was not only remembered but the speech reaffirmed his audience belief in America and inspired those to move forwarded.

Even though, one can identify with one’s feelings, the speaker might not induce the need to change because of ego-involvement. One might see the address by FDR as an address for that generation; generations like the baby boomers were no longer afraid but motivated to do more would adhere to John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address. In other words, if FDR’s address was spoken in the 1960’s, the receivers would have a high-ego involvement causing them to reject a commitment to the president’s policies.

Again, words are powerful and based on the