What can we learn from an old guy in a toga about communication? Centuries worth of what makes an effective message, it turns out — if that old guy is Aristotle.
This episode unpacks the three appeals that the Greek philosopher Aristotle identified in 330 BCE as the three fundamental elements of persuasive communication: ethos, pathos, and logos – AKA credibility, emotion, and reasoning. We look at how these three appeals can be applied in messages and campaigns and just how frequently they appear in speeches, storytelling, and advertising.
Be sure to check the episode notes for journal articles spotlighting research on use of the three components in health communication.
Resources:
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: A Practical Guide for Health Communicators by Thomas A. Reinschmidt, Health Communication, Volume 23, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 126-130.
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Health Communication: Persuasive Appeals in Public Health Messages by Michael S. Paluszek, John L. Rice, and Thomas A. Reinschmidt, Journal of Health Education and Behavior, Volume 56, Issue 3, 2012, Pages 431-434.
Using Ethos, Pathos, and Logos to Promote Healthy Behaviors by Karen Glanz, Barbara K. Ostrow, and Edward A. Marcus, Journal of Health Communication, Volume 9, Issue 2, 2004, Pages 107-115.
Aristotle's Rhetoric by Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Ethos, Pathos, Logos: The Fundamental Appeals by The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Understanding the Elements of Persuasive Communication by Purdue University Online Writing Lab
Please click the button to subscribe so you don't miss any episodes and leave a review if your favorite podcast app has that ability. Thank you!
For more information, visit the Health Comm Central website at: http://www.HealthCommCentral.com
© 2022 – 2023 Karen Hilyard, Ph.D.
Connect with me on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/health-comm-central/
Twitter: @HealthCommCtrl
Instagram: @health.comm.central