1st Edition
Grey Behaviors after Logical Fallacies in Public and Professional Communication
This practical guide enables readers to recognize, assess, and defend against gray behaviors—attempts to persuade listeners using fallacious arguments. It provides valuable tools for communicating successfully in a wide variety of public and professional contexts.
The book examines 20 wide-ranging logical fallacies, cognitive errors, and rhetorical devices that may take place in persuasive communication, and discusses how to assess and respond the behavior of a speaker who may be disingenuously attempting to manipulate the listener—or who may simply be mistaken. Drawing upon research and insights from communication, psychology, business management, and human resources, it considers fallacies in reasoning not just as abstract formulas, but as a feature of communication encounters such as negotiations, interviews, public debates, and personal conversations. Each form of fallacious reasoning is exemplified by dialogues in both professional settings (such as interviewing and personnel assessment), as well as everyday interactions in public discourse. The book then provides self-assessment tests to ensure the reader can evaluate the grey behavior in these encounters.
This book provides research-based skills and insights that will benefit students and professionals in fields ranging from communication, politics, management, human resources, organizational psychology, journalism, and anyone else looking to develop critical interaction skills.
1. Introduction 2. Grey Behaviors After Relevance Fallacies 1-9 3. Grey Behaviours after Induction Fallacies 10-17 4. Grey Behaviors After Formal Fallacies and Fallacies of Language 5. Other Examples of Potentially Misleading Tactics That May Be Followed By Grey Behavior 6. Conclusions and Recommendations
Biography
Homayoon Kord is the Chief of Competency Assessment and Development in Mobarakeh Steel Company (MSC), Iran. He has established several assessment centers to assess and develop leadership skills, and to attract and screen talented people for expert positions. He has also developed an assessment center to identify and develop auditor talents in quality management systems (ISO and EFQM).
George C. Thornton III is Professor Emeritus at Colorado State University, USA. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Purdue University, the Legacy Lifetime Award from the South African Assessment Center Study Group, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the United Kingdom Assessment Centre User Group. His most recent books include Assessment Center Perspective for Talent Management Strategies (2015, with Deborah E. Rupp, & Brian J. Hoffman) and Developing Organizational Simulations: A Guide for Practitioners, Students, and Researchers (2nd ed, 2017, with Rose A. Mueller-Hanson & Deborah E. Rupp).
"Grey Behaviors after Logical Fallacies in Public and Professional Communication is such an important and timely book. In its thorough and yet succinct format, it ‘inoculates’ the reader against the myriad of bad arguments that we encounter in our day-to-day lives. Critical thinking skills are vitally important, especially when we live in a world where ‘facts’ come flying at us with light speed from all directions and the failure to identify fallacious arguments can lead to grave consequences. I can’t imagine anyone who would not benefit from reading this book."—Suzanne M. Papiewski, Attorney and international tax specialist, Washington, D.C., USA
"Poor communications is the most commonly diagnosed cause of problems DDI faces as we run programs in assessment, development, and performance management for thousands of people in organizations around the world. This book offers new and highly creative insights and solutions that really work for these problems."—William C. Byham, PhD, Founder and Executive Chairman of Development Dimensions International, Inc.
