[1] Pathos is a term most often used in rhetoric (in which it is considered one of the three modes of persuasion, alongside ethos and logos), as well as in literature, film and other narrative art.
[3] In Rhetoric, Aristotle identifies three artistic modes of persuasion, one of which is "awakening emotion (pathos) in the audience so as to induce them to make the judgment desired.
[5] Aristotle identifies pathos as one of the three essential modes of proof by his statement that "to understand the emotions—that is, to name them and describe them, to know their causes and the way in which they are excited (1356a24–1356a25).
[6] Aristotle posits that, alongside pathos, the speaker must also deploy good ethos in order to establish credibility (Book 2.1.5–9).
Therefore, he stresses the importance of understanding specific social situations in order to successfully utilize pathos as a mode of persuasion.
[14] The "appeal to pity", as it is classified in Rhetorica ad Herennium, is a means to conclude by reiterating the major premise of the work and tying while incorporating an emotional sentiment.
George A. Kennedy, a well-respected, modern-day scholar, identifies the appeal to emotions in the newly formed democratic court system before 400 BC in his book, The Art of Persuasion in Greece.
[15] In the Encomium of Helen, Gorgias states that a soul can feel a particular sentiment on account of words such as sorrow and pity.
[18] George Campbell, a contributor to the Scottish Enlightenment, was one of the first rhetoricians to incorporate scientific evidence into his theory of emotional appeal.
Hartley determined that emotions drive people to react to appeals based on circumstance but also passions made up of cognitive impulses.
[20] Campbell, by drawing on the theories of rhetoricians before him, drew up a contemporary view of pathos that incorporates the psychological aspect of emotional appeal.
Studies show that emotion influences people's information processing and decision-making, making pathos a perfect tool for persuading consumers to buy goods and services.
[28] Companies today contain current culture references in their advertisement and oftentimes strive to make the audience feel involved.
[29] In other words, it is not enough to have a pleasant looking advertisement; corporations may have to use additional design methods to persuade and gain consumers to buy their products.
It is imperative that authors still preserve the standard of writing within the medical community by focusing on factual and scientific information without use of personal opinion.
Throughout history artists have used pathos within their work by utilizing colors, shape, and texture of the artwork to draw out feelings within their audience.
Political cartoons are but one example of artists using pathos to persuade or bring to light issues within the world centering around the government.
Most times, the designs are blown out of proportion and are greatly exaggerated, but this adds to the raw feeling the artist tries to evoke within the viewer.