Public Speaking: Chapter 6 Analyzing the Audience

Gender

'typical" composition of audiences has changed Most organizations have a sizable amount of women Speakers who fail to take account of current gender attitudes and parties are almost certain to provoke negative reactions among some listeners Recognize men and women are not alike in their values. beliefs

The Two steps of Demographic Analysis

1. Identifying general demographic factors of your audience 2. Estimate the importance of these factors to a particular speaking situation

What do these these physiological principals mean to the speaker?

1. Listeners will hear and judge what you say on the basis of what they know and believe 2. Your message must relate to the listeners (why should they care)

When putting together questionnaire keep in mind

1. Plan the questionnaire carefully to elect precisely the information you need 2. Use the three types of questions 3. Keep questions clear and unambiguous 4. Keep questionnaire brief

To be Audience Centered keep these questions in mind.

1. To whom am I speaking? 2. What do I want them to know, believe, or do as a result of my speech? 3. What is the most effective way of composing and presenting my speech to accomplish that aim? Determines/ Influences every decision you will make

Sexual Orientation

Adapt audience on basis of sexual orientation keep an eye out for language Take demographic factors into account when preparing remarks

Open- ended questions

Allow respondents to answer how ever they want Ex. How do you feel about the U.S. supreme court?

Interest

Asses the audience's interest in advance and adjust accordingly

Demographic Audience Analysis

Audience analysis that focuses on demographic factors Ex. Age, Gender, Racial

How to audience analyze?

Avoid Stereotyping Valuable in audiences background, interests, values, and beliefs

Disposition toward the occasion

Competent listeners believe speaker to be , more likely they are to accept what he/she says Listener's believe speakers who has their best interests at heart respond positively to speaker's message Listener's always have a set attitude towards the speaker

Age

Each generation has more or less in common values and experiences that set it apart from other generations Few things affect a persons outlook on his/her age

Your Classmates an an Audience

Easily to lose sight of you fellow students as an authentic audience Consider every audience as worthy of your best efforts to communicate your knowledge or convictions

Group Membership

Find traits about how listeners respond to your speech

Situation Audience Analysis

Focuses on situational factors such as, the size of audience, physical setting, and disposition of audience towards subject, speaker, and occasion.

Getting Information about the Audience

Formal Audience- Analysis Questionnaire

Attitude

Frame of mind in favor of or opposed to a person, policy, belief If you know the audience attitude address these concerns or answer obligations

Audience Adaptation during the speech

If things go wrong: Find another way to present visual aids, adjust delivery and modify introduction If you are short on time, shorten three main points Adapting is the key in public speaking

Physical Setting

Important to know if there will be any difficulties with the physical setting Do everything you can to control the influence of the physical setting on your audience

Knowledge

Listener's knowledge about your topic will determine what you say in your speech If listener's do not know much about your topic you will have to speak at an elementary level Responsibility informed you can speak at a more technical and detailed approach

Disposition towards the occasion

Listeners have definitive ideas about speeches they consider appropriate occasion dictates how long the speech will be

Fixed- Alternative Questions

Offers a fixed choices between two or more responses. Produces clear answers Ex. Do you know what insanity plea is in the U.S. legal system? Yes No Not Sure

Egocentric

People are concerned above all with their own values, beliefs, and well-being

Adapting to the Audience

People can identify the major characteristics of an audience, trouble adapting your ideas to the audience 1. occurs before your speech 2. occurs during speech

Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Background

Some listeners have racial, ethnic, and cultural perspective Affect audience's response to your message Remarks are clear, suitable, and convincing

The Psychology of Audiences

Speaker must make the audience choose to pay attention Auditory perception is always selective Speech contains two messages: one sent by the speaker and other reviewed by the listener People do not hear things unless it is meaningful to them. Make ideas clear and meaningful

How to Adapt to your audience before the speech?

Two Major Things: 1. Assessing how your audience is likely to respond to what you say in your speech 2.Adjusting what you say to make it clear, appropriate, and convincing

Religion

cannot assume that your views on religion are shared by your listeners When speaking consider religious combinations of your listeners; make a successful and unsuccessful speech

What does not Audience- Centereness involve?

does not involve compromising your beliefs to get a favorable response

What will an Astute Speaker do during a gender situation?

equally attuned to the differences and similarities between the sexes

What to do when you are developing your speech?

explain ideas so they will be clear, interesting, and persuasive

Size

gain experience, some speakers prefer a larger audience than a small one Audience size may also affect your language, choice of appeals, and use of visual aids

Audience- Centeredness

keeping the audience foremost in mind at every step of speech preparation and presentation

Stereotyping

oversimplified images of a particular group of people, assuming members of group are all alike

Scale Questions

responses at fixed intervals along a scale of answers Ex. How often do you believe the insanity plea is used in U.S. court cases very seldom-------------------------------------------Very often

Identification

speakers create a bond with their listeners by emphasizing common values, goals, and experiences

Successful Speaker

submerge own views completely that you can adopt, temporarily those of your listeners Anticipate how your listeners will respond, keep listeners in mind