Audience Analysis and Listening
Audience Analysis and Listening
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students will be able to:
- Define audience-centered, audience analysis, and demographic characteristics.
- List and explain various demographic characteristics for audience analysis.
- Define attitudes, beliefs, values, and needs.
- Diagram Maslow's hierarchy of needs and explain its use in public speaking.
- Describe contextual factors for speech preparation.
- Describe typical barriers to listening in public speaking.
- Explain ways to improve listening as an audience member.
- Apply listening knowledge to improve personal speech preparation.
Chapter Preview
- 2.1 - The Importance of Audience Analysis
- 2.2 - Demographic Characteristics
- 2.3 - Psychographic Characteristics
- 2.4 - Contextual Factors of Audience Analysis
- 2.5 - Listening in Public Speaking Settings
2.1 - The Importance of Audience Analysis
- Benefits of Studying Public Speaking
- Increases awareness of other speakers' techniques, allowing for emulation (e.g., seamless stories, transitions).
- Helps recognize when dramatic delivery or emotional appeals are used to mask a lack of facts or logic.
- Enhances personal listening skills in public speaking contexts.
- Two Sides of the Lectern
- Presenter's Perspective: Understanding the audience aids in constructing speech approach and content.
- Audience Member's Perspective: Learning to maximize comprehension and engagement, even for uninteresting topics.
- Communication Dimensions (Watzlawick, Beavin, & Jackson, 1967)
- Communication always involves a content dimension and a relationship dimension.
- Audience analysis is crucial here: it's not about