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www.robertgass.com

Highly credible sources may be described as• displaying leadership

• having charisma

• being telegenic

• possessing savoir faire

Ethos• Definition: “Judgments made

by a perceiver about the believability of a communicator” (O’Keefe), 2012, p. 181)

WHAT IS SOURCE CREDIBILITY?

Most admired women

Hillary Clinton Oprah Winfrey Michelle Obama Sarah Palin Malala Yousafazi Condoleezza Rice Angela Merkel Angelina Jolie Kate Middleton Queen Elizabeth II

MOST ADMIRED PEOPLE: USA POLL

Number of mentions, based on a Gallup poll conducted in December 2013

Most admired men Barck Obama George W. Bush Pope Francis Bill Clinton Rev. Billy Graham Bill Gates Clint Eastwood Ron Paul Ted Cruz

MOST ADMIRED PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

1. Bill Gates2. Barack Obama3. Vladimir Putin4. Pop Francis5. Sachin Tendulkar6. Xi Jinping7. Narendra Modi8. Warrant Buffet9. Amitabh Bachchan10.Abdul KalamBased on a YouGov survey of 13,895 people, internet and mobile phone surveys

FICTIONAL CREDIBILITY

the most interesting man in the world

a trustworthy Gecko

Imaginary endorsers will never be involved in a scandal

a head for business

Credibility is:• a perceptual

phenomenon• situational,

contextual• dynamic,

changing• multidimensional

CREDIBILITY FEATURES

Primary Credibility Dimensions

•Competence: expertise, know-how

•Trustworthiness: character, honesty, integrity

•Goodwill: perceived caring

•Benoit (2004) says expertise is the most important of the three dimensions

CREDIBILITY DIMENSIONS

If you were selecting a surgeon• Expertise: licensed,

board certified• Has performed the

operation numerous times• Trustworthiness: won’t

bill you for unnecessary procedures

• Goodwill: bedside manner, rapport

If you were selecting a mechanic• Expertise: licensed,

trained, experienced• Familiar with your make

and model• Trustworthiness:

honest, won’t rip you off• Goodwill: friendly,

knows your name, remembers you as a customer

PRIMARY DIMENSIONS APPLIED

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE CREDIBILITY OF THESE SOURCES?

Competence

Trustworthiness

Goodwill

Chris Christie

Kanye West

Elizabeth Warren

Lance Armstrong

Rachel Ray

Mark Zuckerberg

Donald Trump

Lena Dunham

Jerry Brown

Dynamism

energetic, enthusiastic

Composure

calm, collected, poised

Sociability

warm, likeable, friendly

SECONDARY DIMENSIONS

Which celebrity goes with what secondary dimension(s)?

CREDIBILITY AND PERSUASION

• High credibility sources are much more persuasive than low credibility sources

• Credibility tends to function as a peripheral cue (mental shortcut)

• Increasing listener involvement decreases the reliance on source credibility

• Increasing listener involvement increases central processing (analyzing the content of a message)

• Address questions like “Why should I care?” “How does this affect me?”

ADVICE FOR IMPROVING YOUR CREDIBILITY

1. State your own background, experience, expertise on the issue

2. Avoid disclaimers and powerless language

“Can I start over?” “like,” “uhm…”

3. Cite qualified sources in your speech State your sources’ qualifications Provide evidence to support your points

4. Channel nervous energy positively Use movement, gestures to release nervous

energy punctuate your transitions nonverbally

ADVICE FOR IMPROVING YOUR CREDIBILITY

5. Adapt your message to your audience’ frame of reference

Identify with your audienceEmphasize similarities, shared valuesBut don’t simply “preach to the choir”

6. Research your topic thoroughlyKnow what you are talking aboutBe familiar with all the relevant issues

7. Prepare and practicePractice your speech the same way you will deliver it

be organized, fluent, composedmanage your time carefullyanticipate likely questions or objections