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AFRICAN-AMERICAN PERCPTIONS OF REBUTTAL ANALOGIES.
Eric D. Holt; and mentor, Dr. Anne Nicotera, Department of Human
Communication Studies, Howard University, Washington, DC.
An analogy is a similarity of relations between structures, the most
general formulation of which is "A is to B as C is to D." A rebuttal
analogy is a tightly constructed linguistic form that serves to
counter-argue with a socially acceptable level of implied derision. Recent
studies of the role of analogy in persuasion suggest that it functions by
serving two communicative goals. Specifically, "rebuttal" analogy has been
shown to perform two communicative functions by serving as arguments and a
method of social attack. Up to this point, no research has been conducted
on the preceptions of African-Americana and the use of rebuttal analogies.
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The present invistigation examined African-American message receivers'
preceptions of rebuttal analogy and of the individual using this rhetorical
form. Particapants were exposed to one of four messages employing rebuttal
analogy or one of the same four messages in a monanalogy version. The
research revealed participants' perception of the communicator using
rebuttal as being less polits. The rebuttal analogy was perceived as a
weaker argument.
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