What is more challenging for a speaker to influence in an audience?

Influencing an audience's values is particularly challenging because values are deeply ingrained beliefs that shape a person’s worldview and behavior. Unlike attitudes or preferences, which can be more fluid and influenced by new information or experiences, values are often formed through a lifetime of socialization, culture, and personal experiences.

When speakers attempt to shift an audience's values, they may be asking them to reconsider foundational beliefs that are integral to their identity. This requires not only presenting compelling arguments and evidence but also fostering a connection and understanding with the audience that resonates on a personal level. Changes in values often involve emotional and cognitive processes that take time and may require transformational experiences, rather than straightforward persuasion methods used for more malleable elements like preferences or attitudes.

In comparison, attitudes can be more readily adjusted with logical reasoning or persuasive narratives, perceptions of the speaker can be altered through credibility and relatability, and preferences might shift easily based on context or new information. Thus, the complexity and depth of values make them the most challenging aspect for a speaker to influence effectively.