A SPEAKER’S GUIDEBOOK4TH EDITIONCHAPTER 6

Audience Analysis

Audience Analysis

The process of gathering and analyzing information about audience members with the explicit aim of adapting your message to the information you uncover about them.

An audience-centered approach You are more likely to engage and

maintain your listeners’ attention if you let their interests and background guide you in the writing of your speech.

Do not abandon your own convictions on your topic in your attempt to reach your audience; pandering to your audience’s whims undermines your credibility.

Identify listener disposition

Uncover audience feelings or expectations towards:

the topic of the speechyou as the speakerthe speech occasion

Using demographic data

Refer back to the demographic data you recorded about your classmates in Step Four of the Chapter Two lecture.

Think about your topic ideas and the values, attitudes, and beliefs your classmates may have about them.

Demographic characteristics

1. Age2. Socioeconomic status3. Religious/Political affiliation4. Gender5. Disability6. Ethnic/Cultural Background

Target Audience

>The individuals who are more likely to be influenced by your message.

>Product marketers use demographic data in determining how to design commercials and ads.

>Generational identity impacts what examples,

TV shows, or songs will

connect with your listeners.

Gender stereotyping

Gender is more than being male or female; it includes our psychological understanding of what it means to be male or female.

Sexist language casts males or females into stereotyped roles.

Cultural differences

Communication theorists, such as Hofstede and Lewis, have studied how culture has influenced behavior patterns and attitudes in different cultural groups.

A speaker must also consider how the audience member cultural backgrounds influence how each may respond to the message.

Hofstede’s Value-Dimensions Model Individualism vs. Collectivism High uncertainty vs. Low uncertainty

avoidance High power vs. Low power distance Masculine vs. Feminine Long-term vs. Short-term time

orientation

Lewis’ Cultural Types Model

1. People from linear active cultures are systematic planners.

2. People from multi-active cultures tend to be people-oriented, talkative, and do many things at once.

3. In contrast, people from reactive cultures rarely initiate discussions, are accommodating, and are slow to take action.

Group Activity: Recognizing Dominant Culture Traits

With your group members, identify by country name, the cultures according to Lewis’ Cultural types. See which group can name the most countries accurately. Linear-active Multi-active Reactive

Techniques for Analyzing your Audience Interviews Surveys or questionnaires Observation of audience members

on basic demographic characteristics Published sources that have already

analyzed large sample populations based on the six demographic characteristics.

Analyze the Speech Setting

Size of audience Location/physical setting Time of day Length of speech Rhetorical situation/context

What Is Your Speech Setting?

1. Where will you give your speech?

2. How many people will be in the audience?

3. How long should the speech be?

4. What technical equipment will you be using?

5. Where will you stand/sit in the room while giving the speech?

6. Will other students be speaking? Is this an individual or group speech?

7. How can you engage or interact with the audience?

8. Are there any special events or circumstances of concern which you should acknowledge?

Chapter 6 Key Terms for Reviewaudience analysisaudience-centered approachpanderingattitudesbeliefsvaluesperspective takingidentificationcaptive audiencedemographicstarget audiencegenerational identitysocioeconomic status (SES)gendersexist languagegender stereotypespersons with disabilities (PWD)

co-cultureindividualistic culturescollectivist culturesuncertainty avoidancehigh-uncertainty avoidance

cultureslow-uncertainty avoidance culturespower distancelinear-active culturesmulti-active culturesreactive culturesinterview questionnaireclosed-ended questionfixed alternative questionscale questionopen-ended question