CHAPTER 5 ANALYZING THE
AUDIENCE
Chapter Objectives
 Explain why public speakers must be audience
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centered.
Explain what it means to say that audiences are
egocentric.
Identify the major demographic traits of audiences.
Identify the major situational traits of audiences.
Use a questionnaire as a method of audience
analysis for classroom speeches.
Explain how a speaker can adapt to the audience
while preparing the speech and while delivering the
speech.
Chapter Outline
 I. Good speakers are audience-centered.
 II. It is important for student speakers to approach their
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classmates as a real audience.
III. Good speakers understand the psychology of audiences.
IV. The first stage of audience analysis is examining
demographic traits of the audience and how they might
affect reception of the speech.
V. Another is examining features of the audience unique to
the speaking situation.
VI. Ways to get demographic and situational information
about the audience.
VII. Use the analysis to adapt the speech to listeners.
 I. Good speakers are audience-centered.
 A. They understand that the primary purpose is
to gain a desired response from listeners.
 B. Keep three questions in mind:
 To whom am I speaking
 What do I want the audience to know, believe, or do?
 How can I compose and present a speech to
accomplish that aim?
 C. Seek to create identification with listeners by
emphasizing common values, goals, and
experiences.
 II. It is important for student speakers to
approach their classmates as a real audience.
 A. Students may lose sight of their
classmates as an authentic audience.
 B. Good speakers treat classmates as worthy
of their best effort.
 III. Good speakers understand the psychology of
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audiences.
A. The task is to make the audience want to pay
attention the message.
B. The auditory perception of audiences is always
selective.
C. Audiences are egocentric.
D. Implications for speakers:
 Listeners will judge a speech on the basis of what the
already know and believe.
 Speakers must take care to relate their messages to an
audience’s existing knowledge and beliefs.
 IV. The first stage of audience analysis is examining
demographic traits of the audience and how they might
affect reception of the speech.
 A. Demographic audience analysis is useful and should be
used properly.
 Avoid stereotyping
 Combine it with situational audience analysis
 B. Few things affect a person’s outlook more than her or his
age.
 Each generation has common experiences and values.
 Adapt to these experiences and values.
 C. Gender issues can have strong impact.
 Women and men share a broader range experiences than before.
 The composition of the audience has also changed.
 D. Sexual orientation
 Avoid words and phrases that demean people on the basis
of sexual orientation.
 Avoid examples that may exclude listeners with same-sex
partners.
 E. Racial, ethnic, or cultural background or audience
members.
 F. Religious views
 G. The group membership of an audience.
 H. Other variables:
 Occupation, economic position, education, intelligence,
and place of residence.
 Year of school, major, extracurricular activities.
 V. Another is examining features of the audience unique to the
speaking situation.
 A. Size of the audience
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Larger audiences usually require more formal presentations.
May also affect a speaker’s language, choice of appeals, and use of
visual aids.
 B. Physical setting of the speech.
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Size, seating and temperature of the room.
Control the influence of physical setting.
 C. Audience’s disposition toward the topic.
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Interest in the topic
Knowledge about the topic.
Attitude toward the topic.
 D. Audience’s disposition toward the speaker.
 E. Audience’s disposition toward the occasion.
 VI. Ways to get demographic and situational
information about the audience.
 A. For speeches outside the classroom,
speakers often make informal inquiries about
their audience.
 B. For classroom speeches, students often
use audience-analysis questionnaires.
 VII. Use the analysis to adapt the speech to
listeners.
 A. Most of the work of audience adaptation
takes place before the speech as part of the
preparation process.
 B. Adaptation also takes place during the
presentation of the speech.
 VIII. Gathering Materials
 Speaker’s own knowledge and experience.
 Library research.
 The Internet is powerful, but should be used
responsibly and efficiently.
 Interviewing people with specialized knowledge.