Contributed by Deidre Zerilli, University of Missouri
Title: Kristen Wiig and the High Fructose Corn Syrup: Teaching Ethics in Public Speaking
Course: Introduction to Public Speaking
Objectives:
- To allow students an opportunity to identify ethical concerns in messages through comparisons
- To increase students’ awareness of ethical violations in messages, whether in mass media or public speaking
- To give students the opportunity to make concrete connections between what is possible and what is ethical, and how to tell the difference
Rationale:
Although ethics are an important consideration at every point in the public speaking process (Fraleigh & Tuman, 2014), classroom instruction in public speaking ethics can be limited. This should be a concern for instructors of introductory courses, as it is important that students learn from the start what ethics are and how they play into being a credible public speaker. When ethics are taught in introductory courses, textbooks can often focus on instruction about plagiarism (Pearson, Child, Mattern, & Kahl, 2006). Although plagiarism is an undoubtedly important piece of communication ethics, there are a plethora of other ethical considerations that students struggle with. Furthermore, students often require clarification on ethical matters, particularly within introductory courses (Hamilton & Mueller, 2010).
The central ethical guideline that instructors can give students is, “tell your audience the truth” (Fraleigh & Tuman, 2014, p. 73). There are several acts that may violate this ethical principle, including lying, half-truths, false inferences, and taking evidence out of context (Fraleigh & Tuman). Lying and other ethical violations are widespread in college students’ lives, and many students do not see it as an issue (Hamilton & Mueller, 2010). It is of utmost importance that instructors find ways to communicate the severity and implications of ethical violations to their students. These efforts will not be in vain, as instruction in ethics has been shown to enhance students’ ethical awareness and their understanding of their own stake in ethical practices (Langlois & Lapointe, 2010). So, how do instructors go about teaching ethics? As stated by Fraleigh & Tuman (2014), “It is easier to describe truth in public speaking by examining what is not truth” (p. 73). As such, comparisons are a useful tool to show students the differences between ethical and unethical sources.
Description of the Activity:
This activity may be completed in a 50 minute class period. This activity requires pencil and paper on the students’ part, and a projector, internet capabilities, and the links to the videos on the part of the instructor. Before doing this activity, students should understand the importance of speech ethics, and should have a basic understanding of the types of ethical violations that are most common in speeches.
This activity compares a popular commercial from several years ago to a parody commercial on SNL that premiered a few months after the original commercial. The commercial was produced by the Corn Refiners Association, and depicts two women at a party. One woman is pouring a red drink, and the other woman mentions that the drink contains high fructose corn syrup. A conversation about high fructose corn syrup ensues.
The commercial can be found at the following link:
After playing the video, students should write responses to the following questions:
- Do you feel like this is an ethical commercial on the whole? (why or why not?)
- Do you feel like this commercial “told you the truth” (can you identify any lying, half-truths, false inferences, or evidence out of context)?
Students are given approximately two minutes to record their answers. Immediately afterward, students view the commercial parody. The parody of this commercial, aired on Saturday Night Live, features actresses Nasim Pedrad and Kristen Wiig. The first portion of the commercial appears nearly identical to the original, with Nasim pouring a red drink at a party when Kristen comes over to have a conversation. However, once Kristen mentions to Nasim that the drink she is pouring has high fructose corn syrup, a very different conversation ensues.
The commercial parody can be found at the following link:
https://screen.yahoo.com/corn-syrup-commercial-000000091.html
Give students 1-2 minutes to write down their initial responses to the parody.
Debriefing:
After viewing the commercial parody, the instructor may choose from the following debriefing questions:
- Which of these commercials shows a more “ethical” concern for the audience?
- Let’s talk about what you thought of the original commercial: Did you believe the original commercial before you saw the parody?
- What ethical violations in the commercial can you identify after seeing the parody?
- How do these performances tie in to speech ethics in your own presentations?
- What do these videos say about the ethical responsibilities that we have to our audiences?
Appraisal:
Students have enjoyed this activity across the board. Even in the least talkative classes, students have been excited to share their opinions on these videos. Students seem to get weighted down with speech rules, and presenting this information in a way that they may participate as an audience member sparks their interest and helps them to realize the ways that unethical speaking may manifest within their own speeches. Furthermore, the use of a SNL video on a topic that is both important yet not controversial is an enjoyable experience for all involved. For future use, students may be grouped and assigned to look out for one particular ethical violation, and present on that ethical violation to the class. Additionally, if you fear that the students will not respond, you may give students time to “pair and share” reactions before opening a larger discussion.
References:
Fraleigh, D. M., & Tuman, J. S. (2014). Speak Up! (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Hamilton, J., & Mueller, A. (2010). Ethics simulation as preparation for public discourse. Communication Teacher, 24, 1-8. doi: 10.1080/17404620903433416
Langlois, L., & Lapointe, C. (2010). Can ethics be learned? Results from a three-year action-research project. Journal of Educational Administration, 48, 147-163. doi: 10.1108/09578231011027824
Pearson, J. C., Child, J. T., Mattern, J. L., & Kahl, D. H. (2006). What are students being taught about ethics in public speaking textbooks? Communication Quarterly, 54, 507-521. doi: 10.1080/01463370601036689
College Public Speaking Resources 