Rogerian strategy

Introduction

This lesson introduces and explains the Rogerian strategy for writing essays, one

which attempts to persuade while stressing understanding and common ground. We often

think of debates in terms of pros and cons or like a court trial that emphasizes the

competition of two sides in the presentation of their arguments. The classical and Toulmin

argumentation strategies typically seek to win a debate through the presentation of a

persuasive argument.

However, many issues do not have a clear right or wrong side to them. Even if they

do, persuading an audience on the other side is difficult if not impossible if their side is

presented as the wrong one. Imagine, for instance, two spouses debating where to go for a

vacation. There is no right or wrong choice, and depicting one side or the other as such will

not be a very effective way to persuade the other spouse.

In 1951, Carl Rogers, a psychologist, put forth the theory that the primary reason

people had difficulty in resolving disputes is that the people were constantly evaluating each

other. The more deeply-held or emotional a belief, the more a person would be seeking to

judge and discredit another person's opposing statements, the result being a failure to truly

hear or understand those statements. Roger proposed as the solution first to try to

understand the other side and then to negotiate together to reach a consensus.

The Rogerian strategy of argumentation does not seek to win a debate but instead

seeks to find a win-win outcome. The purpose of Rogerian argumentation is to use common

ground to reach a consensus. Essentially, the Rogerian strategy is not arguing in support of

one side of an issue but acting as a mediator between two sides, seeking to negotiate to

find a common ground acceptable to both.

The Rogerian strategy is most effective for those issues that are highly emotional,

including many social and political problems, such as capital punishment, abortion, torture,

and many more. Such issues have few simple solutions to them, and asserting or implying

that the solution or answer is clear or obvious will actually make the argument seem biased

and less persuasive. Generally, people do not want to be told that a value or belief they hold

dear is just plain wrong.

The Rogerian strategy seeks to lessen the threatening aspect of the argument by

emphasizing the value of the opposition's side and motivations. People tend to respond

similarly to how they are treated, so if an argument doesn't seem to be attacking the other

side, the readers on the other side are less likely to be as critical in their attack on the

argument they are reading. The Rogerian strategy encourages the audience to be more open

to the argument being made because the writer has already demonstrated openness and

respect for the arguments on the other side of the issue.

The very idea that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion demonstrates the

need for Rogerian strategies of argumentation. The Rogerian strategy forces the writer to

consider the possibility that his or her side may not be absolutely right. In other words,

knowing that the argument is only the writer's opinion, the writer asserts that this opinion is

a right one to have on the matter, if not the only right one, and seeks to persuade the

audience also to accept the possibility that the writer's opinion is a right one, if not the only

right one. The following sections will help you better understand the process of creating a

Rogerian argument.

Organization

The Rogerian strategy assumes that the audience will be highly critical if not outright

hostile to the argument being presented. Readers with differing opinions from what they are

reading tend to be contentious, immediately challenging each and every assertion that they

find objectionable. Of course, readers should be critical in this way, but they should also be

open to the possibility of changing their minds.

The Rogerian strategy seeks to lead the reader gently to the conclusion of the

argument. Thus, the thesis is typically not explicitly stated in the introduction paragraph

where the reader might see it and immediately become defensive while reading the

following paragraphs. Instead, the Rogerian strategy begins objectively by stating the

problem and then appeals to the audience further by showing the benefits of the opposing

side. Only then are the reasons in support of the argument described, but before the

audience can become defensive, the common ground and higher interest that benefit both

sides are emphasized.

The Rogerian strategy will typically follow this pattern: