The Open Educational Resource College
Public Speaking Textbook
Chapter 2:
Audience Analysis
and Listening
Exploring Public Speaking, v. 4.1 (2020)
Chapter 2 Learning Objectives
• Define AUDIENCE-CENTERED, AUDIENCE ANALYSIS, AND DEMOGRAPHIC characteristics;
• List and explain the VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS used to ANALYZE AN
AUDIENCE;
• Define the meanings of ATTITUDES, BELIEFS, VALUES, AND NEEDS;
• Diagram MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS and explain its usefulness to public speaking;
• Describe CONTEXTUAL FACTORS that should be considered when preparing a speech;
• Describe TYPICAL BARRIERS TO LISTENING in public speaking situations;
• Explain ways an individual can IMPROVE HIS/HER LISTENING when in an audience; and
• Apply what they know about listening to IMPROVE PERSONAL PREPARATION of a speech.
Outline Of Topics
• The Importance of AUDIENCE
ANALYSIS
• DEMOGRAPHIC Characteristics
Chapter 2 • PSYCHOGRAPHIC Characteristics
• CONTEXTUAL FACTORS of
Overview Audience Analysis
• LISTENING in Public Speaking
Settings
Public Speaking Involves CONTENT
The information you share.
And RELATIONSHIPS
Your knowledge of the audience through your
analysis of DEMOGRAPHIC,
PSYCHOGRAPHIC and CONTEXTUAL
characteristics.
So, AUDIENCE ANALYSIS
Is EXAMINING AND LOOKING AT YOUR
AUDIENCE first by its demographic characteristics
and then by their internal psychological traits.
What Are
Demographics?
They are the OUTWARD
CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR
AUDIENCE. "Demo" comes from
the Greek root word "demos"
meaning people; "graphic" means
description.
Three Principles of Demographics
Avoid STEREOTYPING NOT ALL Demographics Are Demographics Will Tell You
Or TOTALIZING Important In Every Situation What To COVER/AVOID
Don't assume that
Consider which are important They will help you relate
everyone is the same
Demographics • Age
• Gender
Include: • Race, Ethnicity, Culture
• Religion
• Group Affiliation
• Region
• Occupation
• Education
• Socio-economic Level
• Sexual Orientation
• Family Status
Important Point
About
Demographics
Some demographics are not
immediately visible. It is important
to use INCLUSIVE and
SENSITIVE LANGUAGE with all
audiences.
Does This Leave Your Wondering if
You Can Even Begin to Analyze
Your Audience?
• Remember what your AUDIENCE
HAS IN COMMON and FOCUS on
Think About It! that.
• For example, your CLASSMATES
may be diverse in terms of AGE,
ETHNICITY, OR RELIGION, but they
have in COMMON PROFESSION (all
students) and, perhaps, region,
majors, etc.
Psychographic
Characteristics: Statements
We Hold to Be True
Beliefs Attitudes Values Needs
• "What we hold to be • "Stable, positive or • "Goals as we strive • "Important
true" negative response to for and what we deficiencies we
• Hard, but not a person, idea, consider important are motivated to
impossible to change object or policy" and desirable" fill"
• Come from • Not the same as • Not the same as • Maslow's
experience and mood or emotion wants or physical Hierarchy shows
authority • Most direct link to objects that lower levels
behavior must be met
• Come from many before going to the
places next level
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Self-Actualization
Esteem
Love and Belongingness
Safety
Physiological Needs
What Kind Of TIME Do I Have?
How much time do I have for the speech? At what time of the day
will the presentation occur?
Contextual WHY Is The Audience Gathered?
Factors in What are their expectations? Why are you speaking to them? How
many of them will be there? What do they expect?
Public
Speaking What Does The Physical Space Look Like?
How many seats? How many audience members? What is the set-up?
Hearing Listening
"An active process where one is
"The physical process by which sound
specifically making an effort to
waves hit the ear drums and send a
understand, process, and retain
message to the brain."
information.
Types of Listening
Comprehensive Empathetic Appreciative Critical
Understanding and Understanding Artistic pieces; benefit Evaluating quality of
remembering feelings and from knowing the evidence and
important information motivations with a goal patterns and concepts arguments
of helping; relational in art
Deliberately REPEAT structural
How Can aspects of the speech
You Help
Your "PLANNED REDUNDANCY" uses:
Audience • A clear central idea statement
• Preview of the main points
Listen? • Connective statements
• Overally summary in the conclusion
NEUROPLASTICITY has changed our
ability/willingness to process long speeches
NOISINESS AND CONSTANT ELECTRONIC
DISTRACTIONS intrude on our lives
We can PROCESS INFORMATION FASTER than
speakers can talk
Sometimes STIMULI AROUND YOU (smells, talking,
Barriers to laptops) interfere
We often DON'T PREPARE ourselves well enough
Listening to listen
We have prejudices and preconceptions that lead to
CONFIRMATION BIAS; we only want to listen to that
which we agree with
Ways to Improve Listening
Choose to believe that Be AWARE OF YOUR TAKE NOTES
GOOD LISTENING PRECONCEPTIONS and intentionally and
MATTERS and put away keep an OPEN MIND intelligently, saving
devices questions for later
More To Consider
• Can you think of some ways that knowing the
PSYCHOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS of your
audience can influence your speech preparation
on these topics? What VALUES, NEEDS, BELIEFS,
AND ATTITUDES of your classmates should you
Think About It! consider?
o Encouraging a study trip abroad
o Asking them to consider buying a Mac instead of a PC
o Persuading them to sponsor a child in a poor country
o Having them consider volunteering for the next
Special Olympics
• Create a DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS list to
analyze your audience by printing out this chart.
o After completing this chart, discuss the types
of topics and approaches to those topics you
might consider based on this information.
Please message your
instructor with any
questions!
THAT CONCLUDES CHAPTER 2!
