4.2: Types of Audience Analysis

Learning Objectives

1. Understand how to gather and use demographic information.
2. Understand how to gather and use psychographic information.
3. Understand how to gather and use situational information.

Becoming an Audience-Centered Speaker

One of the consequences of the First Amendment to the Constitution, which protects our right to speak freely, is that we focus so much on what we want to say that we often overlook the question of who our audience is. Does your audience care what you as a speaker, think? Can they see how your speech applies to their lives and interests? The act of public speaking is a shared activity that involves interaction between the speaker and the audience. In order for your speech to get a fair hearing, you need to create a relationship with your listeners. Scholars Sprague, Stuart, and Bodary explain, “Speakers do not give speeches to audiences; they jointly create meaning with audiences” (Sprague, et al., 2010). The success of your speech rests in large part on how your audience receives and understands it.

Think of a time when you heard a speech that sounded “canned” or that fell flat because the audience didn’t “get it.” Chances are that this happened because the speaker neglected to consider that public speaking is an audience-centered activity. Worse, lack of consideration for one’s audience can result in the embarrassment of alienating listeners by telling a joke they don’t appreciate or using language they find offensive. The best way to reduce the risk of such situations is to conduct an audience analysis as you prepare your speech.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Kim Davies – US Constitution(opens in new window) – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

What is Audience Analysis?

Audience analysis is the process of gathering information about the people in your audience so that you can understand their needs, expectations, beliefs, values, attitudes, and likely opinions. While audience analysis does not guarantee against errors in judgment, it will help you make good choices in topic, language, style of presentation, and other aspects of your speech. The more you know about your audience, the better you can serve their interests and needs. There are certainly limits to what we can learn through information collection, and we need to acknowledge that before making assumptions, but knowing how to gather and use information through audience analysis is an essential skill for successful speakers.

Three Types of Audience Analysis

Demographic Analysis

Understanding your audience starts with demographic analysis, which involves looking at factors like gender, age, marital status, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. In a classroom, you might already know these details about your peers. But for other audiences, how do you find out beforehand? Often, the easiest way is to simply ask the person or organization that invited you to speak; they can typically provide valuable insights into the expected audience.

Demographic data can be collected formally through questionnaires, accessed from existing databases, or even informally observed by "scouts" who assess an audience's composition before an event. While it's more of an art than an exact science, knowing these details allows a smart speaker to tailor their message, making it relevant and engaging for their specific listeners. Consider how valuable it would be to know your audience is mostly female, between 25 and 40, predominantly married, and Caucasian. Would you adapt your message, or deliver the same speech regardless? A smart speaker would definitely tailor their message to address issues relevant to those gender, age, and racial characteristics. The core purpose of demographic analysis is to ensure your message fits within your audience's needs and interests. Crucially, always exercise respect when gathering demographic information. For example, if you're asking about sensitive topics like divorce, understand that not everyone will want to share. You can't force them to answer, and you shouldn't make assumptions about their reasons for declining. Always prioritize their privacy.

Key Demographic Factors and Their Influence \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Understanding specific demographic factors helps you tailor your message effectively:

• Age: Different age groups have distinct frames of reference and life experiences. For instance, younger audiences may have no memory of the pre-9/11 era, while older generations recall events like the Vietnam War or the initial AIDS epidemic, shaping their perspectives.
• Gender: Gender significantly influences cultural experiences and communication styles. As Deborah Tannen notes, while individual factors vary, understanding gender's influence helps clarify interactions. Marital status and parental roles further layer these experiences.
• Culture: America is a mosaic of diverse cultures, not a "melting pot." People retain their cultural origins, and subcultures (e.g., specific Native American nations, urban vs. rural African American communities) exist within larger groups, each with unique values and customs. Recognizing both visible and less obvious cultural memberships is key to audience understanding.
• Religion: Most Americans identify with a major religion, but even within denominations (e.g., various Christian branches, diverse Catholic practices), immense diversity exists. Religion can indicate probable patterns in family relationships, size, and moral attitudes, making it a meaningful demographic lens.
• Group Membership: Audiences are often composed of individuals belonging to various groups—academic majors, fraternities/sororities, sports teams, political parties, or volunteer organizations. Each group shapes its members' worldview, values, and goals. Knowing these affiliations helps you better tailor your speech to their interests.
• Education: An audience's educational background reveals not just their ability to afford and complete schooling, but also their general knowledge and intellectual demands. The type of education (e.g., engineering vs. humanities) also influences their perceptions and interests.
• Occupation: People's occupations reflect their motivations and significantly influence their perspectives. Recognizing the realities of different professions (e.g., teachers' long hours, doctors' and nurses' distinct philosophies of health care) helps avoid stereotypes and irrelevant assumptions, enabling you to connect with their specific concerns and knowledge.

Psychographic Analysis

Beyond demographics, psychographic information delves into an audience's values, opinions, attitudes, and beliefs. As Grice and Skinner (2009) propose, values form the foundation: "A value expresses a judgment of what is desirable and undesirable, right and wrong, or good and evil," serving as core principles (e.g., equality, freedom, family) that shape beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Unlike the straightforward nature of demographics, psychographic information is less clear-cut. For instance, "equal educational opportunity" can mean vastly different things to different people. We also acknowledge that values are often inherited from family, culture, and life experiences, rather than solely chosen.

Psychographic analysis is crucial because it reveals preexisting notions that limit an audience's frame of reference, allowing you to address them directly in your speech. These notions typically fall into two categories: those about your topic and those about you, the speaker.

Audiences often hold preconceived ideas about topics, which can range from oversimplifications due to media stereotypes to a high level of sophistication. For example, a student might dismiss diverse "hippie" cultures as simply "doing it wrong," unaware of their contributions to organic movements or sustainability. Conversely, an audience might be highly informed about complex issues like civil rights progress, understanding nuances beyond a simple "solved" or "unsolved" narrative. Knowing your audience's existing knowledge and potential biases about your topic allows you to define terms clearly, avoid condescension or oversimplification, and ethically tailor the complexity of your message. Just as audiences have notions about topics, they also form rapid impressions of the speaker based on appearance, nonverbal cues, or word-of-mouth. Listeners might perceive you as a "jock," a "conservative," or a "nature lover," potentially leading to assumptions about your speech's content or style. Your primary concern, however, should always be to serve your audience's needs and interests. Rather than trying to debunk their initial opinions or manage your image, focus on delivering an interesting, ethical speech that directly addresses their concerns.

Examples of Psychogrpahic Factors \(\PageIndex{2}\)

Attitudes (General predisposition toward something as good/bad, right/wrong):

• Pro or anti: gun control, war, capital-punishment, free trade, welfare programs
• Pro-diversity in hiring
• Positive toward renewable energy
• Negative toward mandatory vaccination
• Supportive of LGBTQ+ rights

Beliefs (Propositions or positions held as true or false):

• The world was created by a divine being.
• Smoking definitely causes cancer.
• Marijuana is an addictive gateway drug / Marijuana is neither addictive nor harmful.
• Ghosts are all around us, influencing events / Ghosts are solely a product of our imagination.
• Climate change is a hoax / Human activity is the primary cause of climate change.
• Eating organic food is always healthier.
• Universal healthcare leads to longer wait times.
• All politicians are corrupt.

Values (Judgments of what is desirable and undesirable, right and wrong):

• Belonging: The desire to feel accepted and part of a group.
• Unity: Prioritizing cohesion and solidarity among people.
• Achievement: Valuing success, competence, and accomplishment.
• Power: Valuing control or dominance over others and resources.
• Family: Prioritizing family relationships and well-being.
• Responsibility: Upholding duties, accountability, and reliability.
• Loyalty: Valuing faithfulness and allegiance.
• Control: Valuing order, predictability, and personal mastery.
• Tradition: Respecting customs, heritage, and established ways.
• Progress: Valuing advancement, innovation, and improvement.

Situational Analysis

The next type of analysis is called the situational audience analysis because it focuses on characteristics related to the specific speaking situation. The situational audience analysis can be divided into two main questions:

• How many people came to hear my speech, and why are they here? What events, concerns, and needs motivated them to come? What is their interest level, and what else might be competing for their attention?
• What is the physical environment of the speaking situation? What is the size of the audience, layout of the room, existence of a podium or a microphone, and availability of digital media for visual aids? Are there any distractions, such as traffic noise?

Key Situational Factors \(\PageIndex{3}\)

• Audience Size: The number of listeners influences formality. Smaller audiences (20-30) allow for a more informal, conversational style, making it easier to connect individually. Larger audiences require greater formality, stricter adherence to the outline, and careful use of amplified visual and audio aids to reach everyone.
• Occasion: Speeches occur on diverse occasions, from celebratory events like awards ceremonies to solemn ones like funerals. The occasion dictates appropriate tone and content. For instance, a State of the Union address requires comments on national conditions and legislative agendas, always tailored to current political, social, and economic realities (e.g., President Obama's focus on jobs during economic recovery). When delivering potentially unwelcome news, honesty is key, but avoid unnecessarily distressing details.
• Voluntariness of Audience: Audiences can be either voluntary (attending by choice) or captive (required or obligated to attend, like a classroom). While voluntary audiences are generally more receptive, the challenge with captive audiences is to actively foster their interest, as their attention might be grudging. Showing direct or potential relevance of your topic to their lives is crucial for engaging both types. Even topics that seem indirectly pertinent can pique curiosity (e.g., historical figures or unique cultures).
• Physical Setting: The physical environment significantly impacts your speech. If possible, visit the venue beforehand to note factors affecting your presentation. Always arrive early on the day to check equipment (microphone, visual aids), adjust lighting or ventilation, and minimize distractions to enhance audience comfort and receptiveness.

Exercises

1. List the voluntary (political party, campus organization, etc.) and involuntary (age, race, sex, etc.) groups to which you belong. After each group, write a sentence or phrase about how that group influences your experience as a student.
2. Visit www.claritas.com/MyBestSegments/Default.jsp and homes.point2.com and report on the demographic information found for several different towns or zip codes. How would this information be useful in preparing an audience analysis?
3. In a short paragraph, define the term “fairness.” Compare your definition with someone else’s definition. What factors do you think contributed to the differences in definition?
4. With a partner, identify an instance when you observed a speaker give a poor speech due to failing to analyze the situation. What steps could the speaker have taken to more effectively analyze the situation?

References

• Grice, G. L., & Skinner, J. F. (2009). Mastering public speaking: The handbook (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
• Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. (2008, February). Summary of key findings. In U.S. religious landscape survey.
• Sprague, J., Stuart, D., & Bodary, D. (2010). The speaker’s handbook (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage.
• Tannen, D. (1994, December 11). The talk of the sandbox: How Johnny and Suzy’s playground chatter prepares them for life at the office. The Washington Post.

Adapted from:

LibreTexts. (n.d.). 5.03: Three Types of Audience Analysis. In Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking (Chapter 05: Audience Analysis). Social Sci LibreTexts.