By Dr. Ken Broda Bahm: If you’ve seen the Pixar animations feature Monsters, Inc., you might remember the slogan of the company in the title: “We scare, because we care.” Plaintiffs’ attorneys, particularly those who are followers of the Reptile approach to persuasion, may well have the same slogan. Since the perspective focuses on the idea that […]
By Dr. Ken Broda Bahm: Over the past week, the phrase “beyond words” has been a common way of describing the nation’s reaction to the murder of 20 young children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. In a way, it is literally beyond words, because what dominates our thoughts is the
Use Mental Images to Sway Moral Judgment Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda Bahm: It has been an up and down week for the Obama administration in the Supreme Court. On Monday, the Justice Department scored a mixed result on Arizona’s immigration law preserving the “papers please” policy that Arizona intends to apply to immigrants in that state, allowing police officers to demand proof of citizenship from
Learn From Your Wins and Your Losses Read More »
By Dr. Ken Broda Bahm – The Plaintiff’s opening statement in the medical malpractice trial began predictably: This is a case about “incompetence,” and “arrogance,” and “dangerous decisions,” jurors heard. But rather than fostering even an initial leaning against the doctor, this message brought about a defensive response. Jurors were left feeling that all their stereotypes about medical lawsuits and
No Blank Slate (Part 1): In Opening, Treat Your Jurors as Motivated Reasoners Read More »
By: Dr. Ken Broda Bahm – Reacting to new evidence of support in the public as well as the U.S. military for allowing lesbians and gays to serve openly, those who support a continuation of a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy continue to warn of a dangerous loss of troop cohesion and morale, as well as the potential loss
The Persuasion Strategy You Have to Fear…Is Fear Itself Read More »