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• Using words that are different from the ones 5
used by the original poster is more effective
than using the same words. The researchers
interpreted this to mean that different words section two
signal a different point of view.
• “Hedging” language (such as “it could be the /
case”) is usually labeled “weak” because it
signals uncertainty. Yet arguments containing
such language were, surprisingly, more Denise Cummins
persuasive than those without. The
researchers suggest that is because “they may
make an argument easier to accept by
softening its tone.” In other words, people are
not open to persuasion when they feel they
are being bulldozed, conquered, proved ©Gerard DuBois/marlenaagency.com
wrong, or dominated by their opponent.
• Arguments presented early in the thread are
more likely to persuade than those presented
later, and that was true regardless of the This artwork by illustrator Gérard DuBois
expertise of the responder. In fact, the first two appeared in an article called “Why Facts Don’t
challengers were three times more likely to Change Our Minds” in The New Yorker.
succeed at persuading than the tenth What point is the artist making about our
challenger. In back-and-forth dialogues ability to digest new information? Consider
the images in the piece as well as the
between the original poster and a responder, figure’s posture and expression. Why would
the results were crystal clear: If you haven’t Cummins likely agree or disagree with
persuaded the person by the fourth round, what the image seems to convey?
you never will.
• Initial analyses indicated that the greater the
number of challengers, the higher the I was disappointed to find, however, that the
likelihood of success in changing the original researchers did not investigate one type of
poster’s mind. But subsequent analyses specific example that is perhaps the most
indicated single-challenger threads persuasive of all, and that is analogy and
consistently outperformed multiple- metaphor. As I said in a previous post:
challenger threads in terms of conversion rate.
According to the authors, “This observation When Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke
suggests that the sheer number of challengers is appeared on the TV news show 60 Minutes to
not necessarily associated with higher chances persuade us to bail out the banking system, he
of conversion.” didn’t bother with charts, figures, or lengthy
argument. Instead, he used something far
Perhaps the most interesting outcome (and
more powerful: Analogy and metaphor.
least surprising from an educator’s viewpoint) is
that using specific examples is a powerful Imagine, he explained, that you have an
irresponsible neighbor who smokes in bed,
persuasion technique. One picture is worth a
thousand words, and one example is worth an and sets fire to his house. Should you call the
fire department, or should you simply walk
hour of lecture.
27
Copyright © Bedford/St. Martin’s. Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample chapter.
Distributed by BFW Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.

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