Monroe's motivated sequence

Alan Monroe, a communication expert from Purdue University developed a method in the mid-1930s, designed to encourage audiences to take action. He analyzed many speeches and studied the most effective elements for persuading others. After years of studying, he categorized these elements into a five-step method called Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. Monroe found that you need to grab the audience’s attention, identify a problem or need, present a solution, help the audience visualize, and finally call the audience to action. Because of its effectiveness, Monroe’s Motivated Sequence actively exists in fields such as public speaking, marketing, and advertising (CITE Guthrie)^[1]. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence has been proven to work in different settings, including the corporate and political world. Although this theory was established in a classroom, it is applicable everywhere (CITE Lidadun)^[2]. Its lasting relevance highlights Monroe’s contribution to the field of communication and the need for effective persuasion techniques.

Babatunde Raphael Ojebuyi and Ayobami Ojebode created research that focused on Rhetorical Strategies in Secondary News Presentations by Radio Stations in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study uses Monroe’s motivated Sequence to frame its findings. A central focus of the study is the concept of secondary gatekeeping—a practice where media outlets selectively withhold or modify information before dissemination. Babatunde Raphael Ojebuyi and Ayobami Ojebode gain influence from the news reported and broadcast and how it affects the consumer. The findings suggest that radio stations partake in secondary gatekeeping to attract more listeners, increase their market value, and bring in a profit. They found that secondary gatekeeping is used to gain listeners by giving them different news that they can’t get in other places (CITE Ojebode)^[3]. However, these radio stations must steer clear of unwanted bias, which is sometimes difficult (CITE Ryoo)^[4]. As the study suggests, ethical considerations must be balanced with business interests to ensure the integrity of the information shared with the public.

In a case study by Annas, Mangatur Rudolf Nababan, Riyadi Santosa, and Tri Wiratno, they analyzed the COVID-19 infographics through pragmatics. Using a qualitative research design, they applied Monroe’s Motivated Sequence to evaluate the effectiveness of translation techniques used in public health messaging. The research found that more effective speech and translations were found through Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, and less effective translations were found through the modulation technique. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence allowed assertiveness in social advertisements, primarily through only three steps; gaining attention, describing a need, and calling to action. Overall, the research can help translators have an easier time doing their translations, knowing that the application is essential (CITE Anas).^[5] As COVID-19 can be a political topic, these advertisements must use Monroe’s Motivated Sequence in an unaffiliated way to not cross boundaries with politics (CITE Steverson).^[6] This reinforces the need for communication, especially in times of crisis when public trust and cooperation are critical.

For Grace House Akron, a non-profit that assists in providing housing and care for those who are homeless while on hospice. Wright, the founder, researched to develop a Volunteer Information and Training Kit. The kit's purpose was to support new volunteers, particularly those in high school and college. The introduction, in-house volunteering, out-of-house volunteering, and reference materials are the four sections that make up the kit. Though it opened in August 2022, Grace House Akron is still in its infancy and is dealing with issues like a lack of staff and scarce resources. The organization's ability to successfully recruit and retain volunteers is essential to addressing this issue. The project's overall goal is to enhance the onboarding procedure for their volunteers.  

The steps of the sequence include, Attention, used to gain the audience's attention with a strong introduction that addresses the issue or problem. Need; used to establish the need or problem that will require action. Satisfaction; used to propose a solution that effectively addresses the need or the issue. Visualization; used to help the audience visually see the positive impact of taking action. Action: The urge the audience gains to take action.  

^{Alan Monroe is the founder of Monroe's Motivated Sequence, developing this very beneficial communication technique to persuade audiences and inspire them to take action. Monroe's Motivated Sequence is highly used in persuasive speeches and in advertising since it is structured to move an audience emotionally and logically, guiding them toward a desired behavior or decision. Monroe's Motivated Sequence is a five-step linear process of persuasion, developed by Alan Monroe in the mid-1930s, motivating people to action and setting your audience up to make change immediately.}  

Elbers, Vaughan, and Tiruneh all investigated the motivations behind the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among diverse Black ethnic subgroups in the United States, specifically the African American, Afro-Caribbean, and African communities in Washington State and Texas during the year of 2021 to 2022. The study analyzed responses from seventy-nine participants who were aged eighteen and over, as they were asked if they planned to get vaccinated or not. Sixty of those participants favored vaccination, sixteen were against, and three were neutral about it. Motivations for those favoring the vaccine included personal health concerns, a concern for their family and community, and a desire to protect those around them. Among African American respondents, forty-two were vaccinated. Contrast, personal health was their primary motivator, and those twelve unvaccinated African Americans cited concerns about the risks of side effects. Caribbean respondents were mainly motivated by the health of elderly family members. In contrast, African respondents (thirteen out of the sixteen) were motivated by trust in healthcare and a desire to protect their loved ones. The study revealed the importance of close community and personal relationships in vaccine decision-making, with African Americans showing the highest vaccine hesitancy. The findings emphasize the need for tailored public health strategies to address vaccine uncertainty within these communities.

Elbers, Vaughan, and Tiruneh all conducted a study from 2021 to 2022 which examined the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among those Black ethnic subgroups in the United States, specifically African American, Afro-Caribbean, and African communities in Washington State and in Texas. This study included seventy nine participants aged eighteen and older, in which they were asked about their vaccination intentions. Of these participants, sixty favored getting vaccinated, sixteen were against it, and three remained neutral about the vaccination. Motivations for the vaccination differed across all of the groups, but most of the motivations centered around personal and communal health. African Americans, of whom forty-two were vaccinated, were primarily driven by concerns for their health, while those who remained unvaccinated cited worries about the side effects. Afro-Caribbean participants were mainly motivated by the health of their elderly family members, where thirteen out of sixteen African respondents included their trust in healthcare and wanting to protect their loved ones as significant reasons for the vaccination. In this study, highlighted sections included the significant role of relationships and their community in shaping their vaccine decisions, with African Americans demonstrating the highest hesitancy.

Monroe's Motivated Sequence is a theory that consists of five steps built to effectively persuade an audience. Attention includes a compelling introduction captures the audience's focus, highlighting the issue. Need establishes the problem and the significance of the problem that is demanding action. Satisfaction provides a straightforward solution to effectively attack the need. Visualization helps the audience imagine the good outcome of participating in the solution. Lastly, Action encourages the audience to take concrete steps toward resolving the issue.

The sequence follows a five-step persuasive structure: Attention captures the audience with a compelling introduction to the issue, followed by Need , which defines the problem requiring action. Satisfaction presents a solution to address that need, while Visualization helps the audience picture the positive outcomes of implementing the solution. The final step, Action, motivates the audience to take concrete steps toward resolving the issue.  

Alan Monroe developed Monroe’s Motivated Sequence in the 1930s as a powerful communication tool. It was provided to persuade all audiences and prompt immediate action. His technique is used in persuasive speaking and advertising; this five-step process applies to both logic and emotion, helping to guide audiences toward a decision and/or a behavior, by structuring messages in a way that is going to build a sense of motivation and urgency.  

Grace House Akron, a non-profit that provides housing and care for individuals experiencing homelessness while in hospice, was founded by Wright, who developed a Volunteer Information and Training Kit to support the organization’s volunteer program. Aimed primarily at high school and college students, the kit includes four key sections: an introduction, in-house volunteering, out-of-house volunteering, and reference materials. Since its opening in August 2022, Grace House remains in its early stages and faces challenges such as limited staffing and resources. Strengthening volunteer recruitment and retention is vital to its mission, with the kit designed to improve the onboarding process and enhance volunteer engagement.  

Monroe's motivated sequence is a technique for organizing persuasion that inspires people to take action. Alan H. Monroe developed this sequence in the mid-1930s.^[7] This sequence is unique because it strategically places these strategies to arouse the audience's attention and motivate them toward a specific goal or action.^[8]

Foundation

Alan H. Monroe developed Monroe's motivated sequence theory after studying John Dewey’s work on psycho-logic for human problem-solving and combining it with our human tendency to be self-motivated and self-centered.^[9] Additionally, Monroe’s sequence draws from Maslow’s hierarchy in the sense, that the problem has to correspond with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs- lower level first.^[10] After combining these theories with his own, Monroe founded Monroe's motivated sequence.^[11] Motivated sequence aligns with Edmund Burke's ideas on proper speech form and John Dewey's ideas on qualitative unity.^[8]

For Grace House Akron, a non-profit that assists in providing housing and care for those who are homeless while on hospice. Wright, who is the founder, researched to develop a Volunteer Information and Training Kit. The purpose of the kit was to support new volunteers, particularly those in high school and college. The introduction, in-house volunteering, out-of-house volunteering, and reference materials are the four sections that make up the kit. Though it opened in August 2022, Grace House Akron is still in its infancy and is dealing with issues like a lack of staff and scarce resources. ^[12]The organization's ability to successfully recruit and retain volunteers is essential to addressing this issue. The project's overall goal is to enhance the onboarding procedure for their volunteers.^[13]

Alan H. Monroe

Alan H. Monroe was born in 1903. Monroe earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University and taught at Purdue University.^[14] By 1926, Monroe shifted his focus from English to Public Speaking and by 1927, he was promoted to assistant professor of Public Speaking.^[14] Throughout his time teaching at Purdue University, Monroe continued his education at Northwestern University, earning his master's degree in 1927 and his Doctorate in 1937. In 1963, Monroe retired from Purdue University. He died in 1975.^[14]

^{Alan Monroe is the founder of Monroe's Motivated Sequence, developing this very beneficial communication technique in order to persuade audiences and inspire them to take action. Monroe's Motivated Sequence is highly used in persuasive speeches and in advertising since it is structured to move an audience emotionally and logically, guiding them toward a desired behavior or decision. [15]Monroe's Motivated Sequence is a five-step linear process of persuasion, developed by Alan Monroe in the mid-1930s. It is used for motivating people to action and setting your audience up to make change immediately.[16]}

Steps

Monroe's motivated sequence states that on the first step is to state the problem the customer is having, then explain it if one cannot solidify the need and give a representation of the situation that may occur.

The steps of the sequence include, Attention, used to gain the audience's attention with a strong introduction that addresses the issue or problem. ^[17]Need: Used to establish the need or problem that will require action. Satisfaction: Used to propose a solution that effectively addresses the need or the issue. Visualization: Used to help the audience visually see the positive impact of taking action. Action: The urge the audience gains to take action.^[18]

Attention

The attention step is audience-focused and uses an attention-getter to catch the audience's attention.

Need

The topic is applied to the psychological needs of the audience members. Monroe believed that it was most effective to convince the audience that they had specific needs tailored to the topic of the presentation.

Satisfaction

Specific and viable solutions to the problems raised in the previous step are presented to the audience.

Visualization

The solution is then described in such a way that the audience can visualize both the solution and its positive effects in a detailed manner.

Action

The audience is then told how to solve the problem using the solution(s) previously presented.

Benefits

The advantage of Monroe's motivated sequence is that it emphasizes what the audience can do. Too often the audience feels like a situation is hopeless; Monroe's motivated sequence emphasizes the action the audience can take. It also helps the audience feel like the speaker knows the problem at hand and is listening to them instead of just tuning them out.^{[19][20][21][22]}

With its sequential model, Monroe's motivated sequence engages an audience with a psychologically satisfying speech order. The industries of sales and advertising use Monroe's step-by-step sequence to motivate potential buyers to take action (purchase a product). Monroe's Motivated sequence presents itself as a core model in communication theory because there is otherwise little guidance for presenters in organizing ideas in persuasive speech.^[23][24]

The benefit of Monroe’s motivated sequence theory is that it focuses on persuasive techniques to reach an intended outcome. It does this by putting an unpleasant image in the audience's head, and then following it with the more appealing option, that aligns with the speaker’s goal. By providing a background in persuasion, Monroe’s theory gives insight into how to gain the audience’s attention and even change current views, thoughts, or ideas.

Research

Researcher, Tracy Micciche, conducted a study on 21, 23, and 24-year-old college students, with the 22-year-olds being the control group. Participants were told that they would receive better parking for an extra $50.^[25] The study used three different versions explaining the $50 for parking.^[25] One version used Monroe's motivated sequence.^[25] They explained the parking fee in the order of attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and call to action. Other variations used Monroe's motivated sequence in different orders. Micciche found that the explanation using Monroe's motivated sequence's original order was significantly higher for the college students to understand.^[25]

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi explored the idea of implementing the ‘Janta Curfew’ or the ‘People Curfew’ as a first step to stopping the spread of the virus Covid-19 on March 22, 2020.^[26] Narendra Modi used Monroe’s motivated sequence to persuade his citizens to implement a trial run lockdown from 7 am-9 pm, 14 hours, which was named the ‘Janta Curfew’ before the ultimate decision of the Prime Minister to go on to a 41-day extensive lockdown.^[27] Prime Minister Narendra Modi had some words to say about the success of the trial run curfew, "the experience gained from it, would prepare people for their upcoming challenges.”^[28] The success of this curfew was ultimately implemented and practiced by the people for the people.^[29]

A study conducted by Bernadette Peter Lidadun and Nancy Chiuh examined the use of Monroe's motivated sequence.^[30] In the study, Lidadun and Chiuh used reading assignments and gave them to a group of aspirants for the Catholic priesthood in a Formation House in Malaysia. The research was conducted with ten participants from February 2019 to June 2019.^[30] The research indicates that participants engage more in the five-step approach of Monroe's motivated sequence during extensive reading online.^[30] The study also found that refining each step of Monroe's motivated sequence is essential for people using English as a second language.^[30] Researchers watched these groups use Monroe's motivated sequence to see if there could be a scaffold for participants who would be more prepared to find their research before verbally presenting it.^[31] While Monroe's motivated sequence enthused participants' reading experience, there would need to be refinement on each research step before verbal presentation.^[31] In conclusion, while Monroe's motivated sequence enthused participants' reading experience, each step of the sequence must be refined to make it accessible for ESL readers.^[30]

Research conducted by Alen Mateo S. Munzo, on July 6–8, 2022, at the University of De La Salle, Manila, Philippines, used Monroe’s motivated sequence to determine communicative function by inviting viewers to apply themselves to an advocacy project.^[32] This study used Monroe's motivated sequence to visually see the learning outcomes of advocacy awareness from the course syllabus.^[32] The e-service program through the University of De La Salle, Manila, Philippines, aimed to provide an environment online that fosters personal goals.^[33] This study included 26 students enrolled in the purposive communication course. Students individually wrote essays before being grouped into five.^[34]

Seriaznita Mat Said, Ali Salman Hummadi, and Amerrudin Abd Manan conducted research on President Donald Trump's Policy Speech in Jerusalem.^[35] Said, Hummadi, and Manan used Monroe's motivated sequence steps to analyze Trump's speech.^[35] This study used the five steps of the sequence and found that President Trump was successful in his use of persuasion on four of the five steps of Monroe's motivated sequence.^[35] Results indicate that President Trump did not entirely complete the satisfaction step.^[35]

Elbers, Vaughan, and Tiruneh all investigated the motivations behind the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among diverse Black ethnic subgroups in the United States, specifically the African American, Afro-Caribbean, and African communities in Washington State and Texas during the year of 2021 to 2022. The study analyzed responses from seventy-nine participants who were aged eighteen and over, as they were asked if they planned to get vaccinated or not. Sixty of those participants were in favor of vaccination, sixteen were against, and three were neutral about it.^[36] Motivations for those favoring the vaccine included personal health concerns, a concern for their family and community, and a desire to protect those around them. Among African American respondents, forty-two were vaccinated. In contrast, personal health was their primary motivator, and those twelve unvaccinated African Americans cited concerns about the risks of side effects. Caribbean respondents were mainly motivated by the health of elderly family members. In contrast, African respondents (thirteen out of the sixteen) were motivated by trust in healthcare and a desire to protect their loved ones.^[37] The study revealed the importance of close community and personal relationships in vaccine decision-making, with African Americans showing the highest vaccine hesitancy. The findings emphasize the need for tailored public health strategies to address vaccine uncertainty within these communities.

Non-English Speaking Ads

A study published in The Journal of Interpersonal Violence showcased Monroe’s motivated sequence theory by designing videos for Asian immigrant women regarding intimate partner violence (IPV). The video was made in four languages; Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese. Participants included Asian women ages 25–45. During the study, participants were shown a video on IPV and how to get help through primary care settings. Results showed nearly three-fourths of participants indicated that they felt the videos would be useful in encouraging IPV victims to disclose. The use of Monroe's motivated sequence to persuade viewers was found effective in this study; however, participants thought the need and visualization appeal could have been stronger.^[38] A similar study assessing IPV ads found advertisements should work on increasing self-confidence in performing the recommended behaviors, as well as encouraging perpetrators to make a firm commitment to ending domestic violence.^[39] In conclusion, results suggest that culturally relevant interventions based on persuasive theories like Monroe's motivated sequence—such as multi-lingual videos placed in primary health clinic consultation rooms—may help to overcome some of the barriers to immigrants’ disclosure and start them on the path to a better future.^[38]

A study published in Strategic Communications in Africa: the sub-Saharan context covers an analysis of street ads in Yoruba language collected from Ibadan, Nigeria using Monroe’s motivated sequence. Its analysis focused on textual content, in terms of the words used in the selected street adverts. These aspects of content were thoroughly examined to establish how they pass messages that influence patronage of products and services.^[40] Results showed the connection Monroe’s motivated sequence with the selected street adverts. All the elements of Monroe’s motivated sequence were reflected in the selected adverts.^[40] Another study assessing Indonesian and Nigerian advertisements notes the importance of visual elements in advertisements complementing each other.^[41] In conclusion, Monroe's steps, specifically visualization can be applied to Nigerian street ads.^[40]