A Kind of Social Intelligence: A Preliminary Conceptual Map of the Rhetorical Personality

• In Event: New Approaches for Comprehending the Public Subject

Abstract

This paper offers a panoramic view of a range of rhetorical and personal dispositions that constitute the “rhetorical personality.” Described more as a kind of “social intelligence” than traditional psychological type, the rhetorical personality thrives in settings that call for communication that will transcend differences and engage others. The features of this personality include a heightened sense of their own persuasive power, acuity for “reading” audiences and their needs, and a capacity for functioning in settings that may require discrepant roles. Internally, these individuals are usually defined by their extraversion, high self monitoring, other-direction, and an enlarged capacity for empathy and identification. Using examples from the rhetoric of Bill Clinton and others, the paper offers an overview of how these features combine to create individuals adept at maximizing the possibilities of communication in public or private settings.

Author

• Gary C Woodward, The College of New Jersey