Chapter 5: AUDIENCE ANALYSIS

       AUDIENCE ANALYSIS
       PSYCHOLOGY OF AUDIENCES
       SITUATIONAL AUDIENCE ANALYSIS:
       GETTING INFORMATION about the audience
       TARGET AUDIENCE
       TAILOR MESSAGE TO TARGET AUDIENCE

AUDIENCE CENTEREDNESS
* Why are good speakers audience centered?
* What is the primary purpose of speech making?
       -- to get a desired response from listeners
       -- but not at any cost!

Is being audience centered unethical?
* adapting what you say for certain groups is not
       -- changing ideas and content to pander to audience is!

ADAPTING MESSAGE FOR PARTICULAR AUDIENCE.
* To whom am I speaking?
* What do I want them to know, believe or do?
* What is the most effective way of composing, presenting to accomplish aim?

ADJUST TO CONCERNS OF AUDIENCE
* part of considering other points of view and fields of experience
* their feedback gives information; adjust to it
* knowing the audience ahead of time is preferred
       -- the more you know, the sharper the message can be tailored
       -- the less adjusting during speech

CLASSMATES AS AUDIENCE
* they are an authentic audience!
* great opportunity to inform and persuade
* best classroom speeches take audience seriously
* be ready to adapt to change, improve with feedback
* consider every audience worthy of your best efforts
* if you treat speeches in here seriously: any topic you prepare conscientiously can influence listeners:
       -- enrich their filed of experience,
       -- broaden their knowledge, change their views.

PSYCHOLOGY OF AUDIENCES

attending: it's up to speaker to direct audience's attention
* auditory perception is selective
       -- message sent may not be the message received

what is egocentricism?
* people hear only what the want or need to hear

• listen and judge on basis of what known and believed
• you must relate message to them in some way
• how? learn more about them

DEMOGRAPHICS OF AUDIENCE ANALYSIS
what is demographics?
* observable traits of a group

How does it relate to speech making?
* identify general demographic groups
* gauge importance of those features to particular speaking situation
* considering the relationship to your speech

AGE: How does it affects outlook?
* Our class?

GENDER:
* don't assume topic is necessarily masculine/feminine
* avoid false gender distinctions/stereotypes
* acknowledge true gender distinctions
* few of us were raised in gender-neutral situation

RELIGION: must not assume your beliefs are universal
* strong trigger area! strong reactions both in agreement and disagreement!
       -- easily polarizing to audiences

RACIAL, ETHNIC, CULTURAL backgrounds: our class?
* California: whites will minority by 2000
* Arcata: strong Native American and Portuguese communities

GROUP MEMBERSHIP
* group affiliations give clues to interests and attitudes
* occupation, economic position, social standing, education,

SITUATIONAL AUDIENCE ANALYSIS:

What can it do for you?
more useful information; further shaping of speech direction

SIZE: how does it affect speech?
* larger audience will take a more formal presentation

PHYSICAL SETTING: how does it affect speech?
* time of day, room, unpleasant surprises
* control what you can
       -- don't freak out when surprises happen; adapt, adopt and improve

DISPOSITION TOWARD THE TOPIC: how does it affect speech?
* assess interest in your topic
       -- adjust as necessary
* knowledge base of audience on your topic
       -- avoid being too technical
* attitude of audience to your topic: extremely important to consider
       -- adjust to audience needs

DISPOSITION TOWARD THE SPEAKER: how does it affect speech?
* audience response invariably colored by perception
* how competent you are perceived influences effectiveness of speech
* if audience believes you have their interest at heart you are likely to get a positive response

DISPOSITION TOWARD THE OCCASION: how does it affect speech?
* audience has definite idea about what is appropriate
* violating expectations could lead to a hostile audience
       -- does speech fit assignment?
       -- occasion dictates length (persuasive speech: 7 to 9 minutes)

GETTING INFORMATION about the audience

QUESTIONNAIRES
* effectiveness of tool relates to effectiveness of gathered knowledge

Three types?
fixed alternatives (yes/no)
scale questions: allows more leeway in response
       -- often more useful information
       -- helps you gauge strength of audience beliefs and values
open ended: allows more detailed responses
* more than you sometimes need

Best of all worlds, use all three
* plan questionnaire carefully
* phrase question to get precise information you need
* ask clear, unambiguous questions
* keep it brief

ADAPTING TO THE AUDIENCE
* the key: how you apply new found knowledge of audience

• step outside your field of experience
• research views held by audience
• keep audience in mind as you prepare speech
  • harder to change speech after constructed
• anticipate how your audience will respond

TARGET AUDIENCE

Speaking on question of fact, value, policy
* audience analysis more important
* tailor message to be persuasive
* adjust to their knowledge, beliefs
* find your target audience
       -- never able to persuade all
       -- some already with you
       -- those that might be persuaded is your target audience

TAILOR MESSAGE TO TARGET AUDIENCE

* find out how this audience might respond to your topic

USING QUESTIONNAIRES:
required for persuasive speech
* aim to your target
* consider their objections
* answer their objections
* put self in place of target audience
* be tough on yourself
* ask the questions they will
* refute the reasoning
* leave nothing to chance
whatever speech or method, if your target audience is carefully considered, you will have a more successful speech

use the questionnaire
* generate useful stats
* use "open ended" questions to generate testimony