Journal Articles

Emotional Appeals in Environmental Group Communications

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Although emotional appeals are commonplace in political rhetoric, they are often viewed as manipulative and therefore threatening to democratic governance. Interest groups, in particular, have been blamed for relying on emotionally charged rhetoric to achieve fundraising objectives. Through a focus on 210 national-level environmental organizations, the author reevaluates this critique, postulating that groups vary the emotive content of their communications in response to different audiences and purposes of communication. Using evidence from a content analysis of group communications across several media, the author shows that groups rely much more on positive rhetoric than previous studies have indicated, especially in communications designed to encourage participation. Furthermore, negative appeals are most prevalent in groups’ efforts to encourage learning through information provision.The results suggest that emotive rhetoric can be used in ways that complement reasoning processes.

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Detail Information

Series Title

American Politics Research

Call Number

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Publisher

: sage publisher., 2010

Collation

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Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

1532673x

Classification

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Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

Vol. 38 no. 5, September 2010.pp. 862-889

Subject(s)

Media
interest groups
Political communication
Opinion
Environmental groups

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

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