ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the importance of critical listening in decision-making and problem-solving. It explores the propaganda and emotional appeals in the use of language in persuasion. The chapter examines the differences between facts, opinions, and inferences. Sound evaluation is essential, particularly in persuasive contexts in which people are asked to make choices among competing ideas, or when the source of their information may be biased. The chapter examines how persuasion works and be introduced to several important mental principles that helps people to approach persuasive situations more objectively. The three traditional dimensions of persuasion are: speaker credibility, logic and reasoning, and emotional appeals. Speaker credibility is judged on both the communicator's character and competence. Credible communicators are perceived as trustworthy, dynamic, and as having expertise in their subject. A speaker's credibility can be assessed at three points in the communication process: before speaking, during the presentation or interaction, and after the encounter.
