The Motivated Sequence is a sequence if ideas which, by following the normal process of human thinking, motivates the audience to respond to the speaker’s purpose. In its most complete form, the Motivated Sequence consists of five steps. See also pages 367-372 of your Guidebook.
To gain attention
To secure good will and respect
To prepare the audience for discussion of your topic
Reference to a subject, event, or occasion
Personal greeting
Rhetorical question
Startling statement/statistics
Quotation
Humorous anecdote
Illustration
To describe the problem
To make your audience uncomfortable with the status quo
Statements (backed by evidence)
Illustration
Show ramifications
Pointing
To present a solution to the need described above
Statements (backed by evidence)
Explanation
Theoretical demonstration
Practical experience
Meeting objections and potential counterarguments
To intensify your audience’s desire to adopt the solution and action you propose
To help the audience to “see” the results
Positive method (“see” what will happen on adoption)
Negative method (“see” what will happen if not adopted)
Contrast method (“see” adoption vs. non-adoption)
To focus the thoughts of your audience
To motivate your audience to ACT
To leave the audience in a mood appropriate to your topic
To convey a sense of completion
Challenge
Summary
Quotation
Illustration
Personal Intention
Inducement
Audience opinion toward a topic or proposition can be sorted into four quadrants that vary in degrees of intensity (i.e., is the audience’s opinion strong or weak?) and direction (i.e., is the audience for or against your position?). An effective speaker adjusts her motivated sequence, persuasive techniques, and rhetorical strategies to the predisposition of her audience.
After surveying your audience with a questionnaire, compile your data. Then, using the following directions, use this guide to help identify your audience type and determine the most influential approaches for dealing with your type of audience.
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Direction |
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For |
Against |
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Intensity |
Weak |
2 Uninformed Audience |
3 Apathetic Audience |
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Strong |
1 Favorable Audience |
4 Opposed Audience |
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1. Which quadrant (in the table above) do you feel best depicts your audience’s predisposition toward your topic? Remember, audiences can be mixed (e.g., half of the people are favorable, half are apathetic), so you may need to address multiple audiences during your speech.
2. Locate your audience(s) in each of the following five tables. Each table corresponds to a step in the Motivated Sequence and gives you ideas for how to appeal to your audience during the step.
3. Examine the techniques suggested in the following tables and think creatively about how you might apply these techniques to your speech.
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2. Uninformed Audience |
3. Apathetic Audience |
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1. Favorable Audience |
4. Opposed Audience |
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Attention Step |
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2 |
· Focus on the basic elements of the problem · Narrow the definition; use historical data (but be clear, not dull) |
3 |
· Overcome inertia · Use startling statements and vivid illustrations · Stress key points |
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1 |
· Intensify interest · Use vivid illustration or challenge · Show new aspects of the problem |
4 |
· Secure common ground · Emphasize points of agreement in attitude, beliefs, values, and/or experiences |
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Need Step |
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2 |
· Demonstrate basic causes of problem · Make audience aware that a problem exists and why it exists |
3 |
· Give strong evidence of the problem · Use credible and powerful facts, statistics, and testimony · Link problem with common experiences |
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1 |
· Make the problem impressive · Use vivid images & startling disclosures · Arouse personal responsibility |
4 |
· Overcome opposition to change · Acknowledge counter-arguments · Seek agreement on general principles, then apply them to specific problems · Use solid facts |
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Satisfaction Step |
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2 |
· Demonstrate how your plan is the best solution · Explain your plan, offering proof of your solution using factual examples and expert testimony |
3 |
· Keep audience interested by vividly explaining your solution. · Follow techniques for audience #2 (uninformed) |
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1 |
· State your plan for a solution · Be brief, don’t argue · Challenge and command, if appropriate |
4 |
· Relate solution to the principles expressed in the Need step. · Follow techniques for audience #2, highlighting common ground |
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Visualization Step |
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2 |
· Demonstrate how your plan is the best solution · Explain your plan, offering proof of your solution using factual examples and expert testimony |
3 |
· Keep audience interested by vividly explaining your solution. · Follow techniques for audience #2 (uninformed) |
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1 |
· State your plan for a solution · Be brief, don’t argue · Challenge and command, if conditions warrant |
4 |
· Relate solution to the principles expressed in the Need step. · Follow techniques for audience #2, highlighting common ground |
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Action Step |
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2 |
· Call for a specific, reasonable action · State specifically how each person might help |
3 |
· Call for a clear, reasonable action · Explain specifically how individual actions lead to broader change |
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1 |
· Ask the audience to go beyond their good intentions; stress individual responsibility · State specifically what each person can do and how to go about it |
4 |
· Call for a clear, reasonable action that does not ask the audience to do the complete opposite of their original opinion · State how each individual’s efforts help |
source: http://comm.colorado.edu/jjackson/1300/monroe.htm