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Non-verbal communication is a pervasive form of information sharing which has been shown to influence human behavior from infancy. To date, few empirical investigations have explored the mechanism or mechanisms by which the observed non-verbal reactions of an audience can influence message-based persuasion. Within the current dissertation, pilot data suggest that observing different types of non-verbal reactions to a persuasive message can affect attitudes. Four studies then explore two possible mechanisms by which audience non-verbal reactions could influence attitudes in a message-based persuasion paradigm. Results suggest that audience non-verbal reactions can influence attitudes by serving as a cue or heuristic or by biasing how message arguments are interpreted. Results are relevant to parties interested in affecting people's attitudes and behavior; especially as subtle non-verbal cues become more frequently communicated through technology such as network television and videoconferencing.

This thesis explores the historical trends of persuasion as it functions in the competitive forensic setting, looking at the structures used as well as the topics of the speeches. Persuasion plays a large role in our academic and daily lives, which stresses the importance of studying this area due to the large role it plays in our society. This thesis explores the persuasive speeches in the final round of the Interstate Oratorical Association competition from 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 to document the historical trends of persuasive strategies used as a representation of the role forensics fills in our understanding of persuasive trends.

This thesis will give primary attention to an analysis of invention in selected congressional, campaign, and ceremonial speeches of Sam Rayburn. Such an analysis should reveal the most common modes of persuasion used by the man.

The purpose of this research was to look more closely at the relationships between narrative and non-narrative persuasive messages, and to begin to determine how and why these message formats might work together. I situated this study within Rogers’ roadmap for future theoretical work on entertainment education (E-E), and specifically addressed Slater and Rouner’s call for more research on the impact of epilogues in E-E. Synthesizing components of the elaboration likelihood model with recent theorizing regarding persuasion through narrative, I made predictions regarding the effect of transportation and character identification on perceived salience, attitudes, behavioral intention, and behavior in narrative, argument, and narrative + argument conditions. Undergraduate students were asked to watch one of seven videos. After watching the videos participants were asked to respond to questions reflecting their views of the subject matter in the videos, their experience while watching the videos, and their opinion of the video quality. The questionnaire included scales measuring transportation into the narrative and character development, measures of perceived issue relevance, and persuasion toward the topic of mandatory H1N1 vaccinations. Findings showed no relationship between the narrative format and transportation or perceived salience, however, transportation did predict perceived salience in messages combining both argument and narrative + argument formats. Recommendations were made for modification and future applications of the instruments used in the study and for continued research in the various stages of persuasion through narrative, argumentative, and combined format messaging.

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