ABSTRACT
Exhortation occurs in situations marked by “conflicted principles,” in which reluctant, confused, or “troubled” addressees need inspiration to commit to action. Kauffeld and Innocenti’s pragmatic analysis of exhortation may be useful for theorizing about issues embedded in a range of interpersonal situations for which exhortation is relevant. Interpersonal influence often calls for exhortation, as in inspiring a neighbor to sign a petition or cheering friends on to keep to their diets. Consistent with Kauffeld and Innocenti’s pragmatic analysis, participants engaged in exhortation by referencing the core conditions necessary for warranting an exhortation to be worthy of a sympathetic hearing. The analysis further shows that exhortation themes, particularly themes connected to the themes of fellowship and inspiration, positively relate to the exhorters’ level of construct differentiation and planning specificity. Identifiable and tested pragmatic issues and lines of argument could foster effective exhortations and other illocutionary acts.
