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By appealing to ethos, a speaker attempts to assure their listeners that they are a credible source of information.
By appealing to ethos, a speaker attempts to assure their listeners that they are a credible source of information.
Ethos - a mode of persuasion that helps a speaker to establish their credibility.
Introduction
Introduction
How can a hitchhiker assure a potential ride that they are trustworthy? How does a job candidate convince an employer that they should be given a new position?
Ethos, one of the three rhetorical modes of persuasion, relates to how a speaker can convince listeners that they are trustworthy.
Appealing to Ethos
Appealing to Ethos
We live in a world in which there is more information available than ever before. And yet, it can be hard to know who to trust amid such information overload.
There are a number of ways a speaker can appeal to ethos to assure their listeners that they can be trusted.
Qualifications
Qualifications
By stating their qualifications in a given field, a speaker demonstrates that they have the necessary training to provide sound recommendations.
This certification could be anything from the completion of a first aid course to a PhD in quantum physics, although it must be relevant to the subject at hand.
Experience
Experience
By stating their experience in a given field, a speaker assures their listeners that they have obtained proficiency and mastery in this area.
This assurance is further reinforced if the speaker has a strong reputation and proven track record.
Familiarity
Familiarity
By demonstrating their connection to a subject, a speaker suggests that their views are more valid than someone who is disconnected or unfamiliar with this issue.
Importantly, familiarity does not require a speaker to be an expert on a topic. Rather, the speaker need only convince their listeners that their direct connection to this topic makes them a valid source of information.
A poster for the 2008 Ghana elections—politicians work hard to convince voters that they are a trustworthy candidate. 2008. BBC World Service. Creative Commons.
Editor's Notes
Editor's Notes
While this entry refers specifically to placing trust in a single person, humans are also willing to accept the credibility of organised social groups.
Examples of this include a soldier willing to fight and die for a political nation, a religious believer willing to place their trust in the promise of an afterlife, or a consumer willing to believe that a new model of smartphone will solve all their problems.
In each of these cases, the organisation in question must use ethos to establish their credentials in the eyes of their recruits, followers or customers. This can be achieved by using such persuasive tools as propaganda, sacred texts, or marketing.
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