Alan Monroe

Alan Monroe (Alan Houston Monroe; 22 April 1903 – 26 January 1975) was an American psychologist, author, and pioneer in the discipline of communication. He is most known for the motivated sequence, also known as persuasive speech. The motivated sequence is a communication technique that outlines how to persuade listeners to take action.

Biography Alan Monroe

Alan H. Monroe - toolsheroAlan Monroe was born in the United States. When he was nineteen, he enrolled at Northwestern University, Illinois, to study a bachelor study. After he obtained his bachelor degree, Alan Monroe was offered a position as an English lecturer at the Purdue University, Indiana.

Alan Monroe continued his professional career at Purdue University. After having taught English, he next became a lecturer in public speaking. In his position, he was perceived as an outstanding communication teacher. Because of this, he was requested to establish a speech course at the university. The result went beyond the expectations.

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Alan Monroe designed the COM 114, Introduction to Public Speaking, and the course was in that time one of the largest communication course in the country. The course is today a mandatory course for many majors at Purdue University.

Alan Monroe’s contributions to communication skills are recognized by various institutions. The Purdue University have additionally established the Alan H. Monroe Graduate Scholar Award, an award that recognizes scholarly activities of graduate students who have exemplified the standards of academic excellence at Purdue University.

Alan Monroe’s communication tool Motivated Sequence is currently many times used as a method to organize effective presentations or any other speech with a specific message or request of action. His method of organizing communication messages are today also used in almost all political- and advertising campaigns. It follows the methodology of the psychology of persuasion and is, for this reason, regarded as an effective communication style.

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Publications and Books

  • 2013. No doubt about it: The effect of role model uncertainty on performance under threat. Journal of Social Psychology, 153(5), 542-559.
  • 1992. The everyday theater experience: Peer educational theater as a tool for substance abuse prevention.
  • 1975. The motivated sequence. Principles of Speech Communication, 241-257.
  • 1975. Spontaneous Writing: Discovery. Community College Frontiers.
  • 1974. Principles and types of speech communication. Scott Foresman.
  • 1958, 1939. Principles of speech. Scott, Foresman.
  • 1945. Chapter XIV: Evaluation in Speech Education I. testing speech performance. The bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, 29(133), 156-164.
  • 1941. Speech in the world today. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 27 (2), 171-173.
  • 1937. The statistical reliability and validity of the shift‐of‐opinion ballot. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 23(4), 577-585.
  • 1937. The Measurement and Analysis of Audience Reaction to Student Speakers-Studies in Attitude Changes.
  • 1937. Experimental Studies in the Measurement and Analysis of Audience Reaction to Student Speakers. Doctoral dissertation, Northwestern University.
  • 1936. Measuring the effectiveness of public speech in a beginning course.
  • 1935. Projects in speech for a foundation course.
  • 1929. The effect of bodily action on voice intensity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 13(5), 516.
  • 1929. Persuasive speaking again.
  • 1929. An engineering speech curriculum. Eng. Educ, 20, 193-8.
  • 1924. The Supreme Court and the Constitution 1. American Political Science Review, 18(4), 737-759.

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Published on: 03/18/2018 | Last update: 05/21/2022

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Alexander Zeeman
Article by:

Alexander Zeeman

Alexander Zeeman is Content Manager at ToolsHero where he focuses on Content production, Content management and marketing. He is also an International Business student at Rotterdam Business school. Currently, in his study, working on the development of various management competencies and improving operational business processes.

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