Persuasion Research, Public Speaking and Debaters

EMPIRICAL PERSUASION RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SPEAKING FOR DEBATERS

Alfred C. Snider
World Debate Institute, University of Vermont

In a tough debate little differences make all the difference. Good teams become great by ALSO doing all the little things very well.

Here are findings from the empirical persuasion literature that seem relevant.

AVOID POWERLESS LANGUAGE
Avoid it as it makes you less persuasive.

• Hesitations: um, ah, pause 
• Fillers: like, ya know, ladies and gentlemen, we believe that. Secret is to avoid repetition. 
• Hedges: Too much qualification 
• Intensifiers: I really, really believe this, and hope very much that you will too. 
• Too Polite: Indicates deference and subordination. Excuse me if you wouldn’t mind too much, I have an idea I hope you will consider. 
• False questions: This is fun, don’t you think? Different from rhetorical question. 
• Disclaimers: I know this is a really dumb question, but… 

USE PROPER NON-VERBALS

EYE CONTACT

• Regular not prolonged 
• Lack it causes loss of trust 
• Helps beggars get money 
• It enhances your good arguments, but hurts when you have bad arguments (illegitimate requests look away for humbleness) 

FACE 

• Smile often but not constantly. 
• Smiling too much makes you seem insincere 
• Match your face with your message: no smiling during description of suffering 
• Try and often mimic the facial expressions of the judges 

BODY

• Open body poses are more persuasive 
• Too much moving is distraction 
• Repetitive movements indicate nervousness, give lack of trust 
• Stand whenever you can. 

HANDS

• Types of gestures: emblems (precise meanings), illustrators (general indications acceptance, exclusion, emphasis, excitement), self-touching (never do it) 
• Variation important. 
• Good gestures increase memory and persuasion. 

DISTANCE

• 5-14 feet is best. 

DRESS

• Appropriately, not to stand out too much. 

PHYSICAL

• Shaved heads better than baldness 
• Beards make you look more mature 
• Young look is seen as more honest, old look is more expert 

LANGUAGE CHOICES:

• Avoid Devil terms (terrorist, Nazi, etc.). 
• Use charismatic terms (feel good about themselves, power). 
• Aphorisms and idioms can be effective with lazy listeners. 
• Avoid profanity. Lack of it never hurts you. 
• Politically correct: it never hurts. If you are politically incorrect you can get hurt. 
• Vivid strong language good up to a point, then becomes linguistic pornography. 
• Vivid language works with those who agree, not with those who disagree. 
• Vivid language must not violate their expectations. More credible speakers have more latitude here. Rape of the forest (no). 
• Too vivid language can make your position sound more extreme, and make people not want to go along with you. 
• Talking like the audience talks is the best adaptation