COMS 101 Chapter 6: Chapter 6
10 Jan 2017
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Analyzing the Audience
● Audience-centeredness-keeping the audience foremost in mind at every step of speech
preparation and presentation.
○ To whom am I speaking?
○ What do I want them to know, believe, or do as a result of my speech?
○ What is the most effective way of composing and presenting my speech to
accomplish that aim?
● Identification-the process in which speakers seek to create a bond with the audience by
emphasizing common values, goals, and experiences.
● The Psychology of Audiences
○ People want to hear about things that are meaningful to them
○ Egocentric-the tendency of people to be concerned above all with their own
values, beliefs, and well-being.
○ You need a grasp of what your listeners know, believe, and care about
● Demographic audience analysis-audience analysis that focuses on demographic factors
such as age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, group membership, and racial ethnic, or
cultural background.
○ Two steps: 1) identifying the general demographic features of your audience; 2)
gauging the importance of those features to a particular speaking situation
○ Stereotyping-creating an oversimplified image of a particular group of people,
usually by assuming all member of the group are alike.
○ Age: if you use examples people of that age group are not associated with you
will not evoke the same emotional response
○ Gender: speakers who fail to take account of current gender attitudes and
practices are almost certain to provoke negative reactions among some listeners,
male and female alike
○ Religion: you cannot assume your views on religion are shared by your listeners
○ Sexual orientation: adapt to an audience by taking an inclusive stance and using
words such as “spouse and partners”
○ Racial, ethnic, and cultural background: people may have different views and
perspectives on topics based on their background
○ Group membership: be aware that your audience may be involved in various
group affiliations on campus
● Situational audience analysis-audience analysis that focuses on situational factors such as
the size of the audience, the physical setting for the speech, and the disposition of the
audience toward the topic, the speaker and the occasion.
○ Size: the larger the audience, the more formal your presentation must be
○ Physical setting: view your setting days in advance or early that day to make any
adjustments or problem solve for unchangeable circumstances
● Disposition toward the topic
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Audience-centeredness-keeping the audience foremost in mind at every step of speech preparation and presentation. Identification-the process in which speakers seek to create a bond with the audience by emphasizing common values, goals, and experiences. People want to hear about things that are meaningful to them. Egocentric-the tendency of people to be concerned above all with their own values, beliefs, and well-being. You need a grasp of what your listeners know, believe, and care about. Demographic audience analysis-audience analysis that focuses on demographic factors such as age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, group membership, and racial ethnic, or cultural background. Two steps: 1) identifying the general demographic features of your audience; 2) gauging the importance of those features to a particular speaking situation. Stereotyping-creating an oversimplified image of a particular group of people, usually by assuming all member of the group are alike.
