Comment (at least 75 words): It is so overlooked to being empathetic towards an audience for not agreeing/understanding/resonating with you as you’re speaking. And what people really don’t understand is that this goes for a teacher/professor as well, so many decide to disregard basic respect when in a classroom environment, and it’s important to respect the speaker as well as the audience.
Question: What are ways one can be empathetic towards an audience?
Quote: page 279, paragraph four
Comment (at least 75 words): I find it so difficult to convince an audience to agree with you as someone who has always tried to look at things from both angles non confrontationally. I’m not sure what I’d do in a situation where I would have to convince or persuade an audience of something, especially if I didn’t agree with it myself. That might be a good exercise though, now that I’m thinking about it.
Question: How would an audience’s values affect the outcome of a speech?
Page 279 paragraph 2
This passage was easily relatable because a lot of people have values that get passed down from one generation of family members to the next generation of family members. It does not even have to be beliefs the passage also talked about how it can be something like attitude and how a certain group or family carries themselves around. However, it does talk about how it varies from person to person in this case the book used the example of family versus wealth and which one is more important. It said how the answer would vary from group to group.
Page 280 Paragraph 6
This part talks about engaging your audience as a speaker. One big factor when giving a speech is the attitude of you and the audience. Also, it talked about what type of speech you make. The presentation of yourself and then how you engage the audience are huge factors. Talking from experience, a good speech engages with the audience while a poorer speech does not recognize the audience and engage them. Overall, though this passage gave good insight into speeches and how to go about yourself.
Question: How do we as speakers read the audience during our speeches and modify them?
The first passage I found to be particularly helpful was located on page 277 paragraph 1. This passage discusses how an audience tends to relate to speakers with whom they can relate with. Subsequently, it mentions how smart speakers will find a way to relate with the audience. For example, how the President will start speeches by saying, “my fellow Americans…” I thought the passage was helpful because this can be a good tactic to apply to my Lone Wolf speech. Especially since I’m focusing on the student option, I can relate to my audience because we are all college students taking the same communications course.
A passage that I found a little bit difficult to understand is in Table 14.1 on page 281. The part that I’m having trouble comprehending is distinguishing a difference between altering an existing way of thinking and creating a new way of thinking. I’m confused because if someone is altering the current way in which you think, wouldn’t that kind of be creating a new way of thinking? Also, if you create a new way for someone to think, isn’t that a little bit like altering their existing way of thinking? The two separate concepts seem more similar than not to me.
DISCUSSION QUESTION: Referring to Table 14.1 on page 281, what differentiates “altering an existing way of thinking” and “creating a new way of thinking”?
Q: “As already mentioned, you must establish and maintain an appropriate relationship with an audience and base decisions about a speech partly on that relationship.” (PG 277 para 3)
C:
A speaker can only be successful in conveying information if they first establish a connection between themselves and the audience. Another example referenced in the book is the famous “My fellow Americans…” quote from President Obama. Americans everywhere are able to establish a connection with the speaker simply because they are fellow Americans and may share similar concerns or beliefs. Audiences are far more receptive to someone they find relatable, someone that shares the same set of values, attitudes, and beliefs. Knowing an audience’s position on any given subject is also very important for speakers. How do you know whether you’re trying to persuade someone or trying to reinforce their values? Once you understand your audience’s position you can begin to build your speech and develop talking points. Not only is it important to understand your audience’s point of view but it is also important to know who you are speaking to.
Say you’re delivering a presentation on the production of natural gasses and the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Are you speaking to young adults in a highschool auditorium, college graduates who are on the road to their masters degree, or business owners who potentially produce natural gas products. The delivery of your presentation or speech should vary depending on who you are speaking with.
If the speaker is disliked by the audience or thought to have bad values how can the speaker make a connection with the audience and get his or her point across?
These paragraphs were very interesting to me because there is a humorous quote talking about how video games are beneficial for a child’s mental development. It was strange at first to read about how video games can benefit children instead of harm them, because my whole life I grew up thinking they were very bad for you. But it sounds plausible that even though video games can be violent or inappropriate, there is an undeniable fact that they also greatly improve hand-eye coordination and cognitive motor skills. And can also increase our happiness and mood when needed.
Paragraph 1-2 / Page 277
These paragraphs get into detail about how to connect with audiences and how to maintain that connection throughout your speech. This is very interesting because it goes into detail about knowing and how to determine what relates most to an audience, and then how to build your speeches or points around their desires. It is important to share common values and goals as an audience If you want your speech to stick and work. It is always best to align with their values if you’re trying to convince them of anything.
What happens to a presenter or person speaking if they are disliked or resented by an audience, will they get a very negative respone?
This passage talks about how you have to analyze the audience you are talking to, and deliver accordingly. It states that as a speaker, you have to figure out the best way to develop and maintain a good relationship between yourself and the people you are talking to and also between the material you are speaking about and the audience. The passage also hints on the many factors that go into the different approaches for an effective presentation.
Page 278 para 7
This passage talks about beliefs or what people hold to be true or false. They are formed like attitudes through direct experience, as well as through media, public and personal relationships. Also, the views on the world in a cultural way. Beliefs are evaluations of something as true or false. Just like your attitudes, your beliefs can change too, but they are always more stable than attitudes. This is interesting because it talks about how you use beliefs to build direct relationships with people.
The first section that stuck out to be was page 276 para 2. This paragraph talks about the relationship that a speaker and their audience has to have in order for a speech to land. And how there is such a heavy relationship between public speaking and personal relationships. I like this angle that it took, public speaking is something that many people are so frightened of yet personal relationships are so much easier to create and interact with. I think helping us see, when we are starting a speech soon, how easy public speaking is and how much it mimics a personal relationship is really helpful. A question that I had from this paragraph is how does a speech land with an audience if there is no connection between the speaker and the audience? The next section that stuck out to me was page 280 para 6. This paragraph is talking about a presentation type that will influences an audiences behavior. I really liked this part because it shows how you can create a way to make people want to be an active member of the things you are speaking about. And how you can get those in an audience to truly understand how you feel about a topic and let them know why they should as well. My question for this section is, would the speech be considered a failure if you didn’t get everyone in the audience on your side?
One of the topics I found interesting was, “Relationship With the Issue and Position”. The reason I found this passage so intriguing is the way they explained problems in situations and why it is so hard to change the other person’s perspective. “An audience may have a positive, a negative, or an impartial view of an issue before a speaker even begins to speak. You must consider this existing evaluation when preparing speech because it will likely influence how the audience receives the presentation and the audience’s relationship with you” (Pg 278 Ch 1). The reason I find this interesting is because in order for you to change the other person’s opinion on a certain topic and show them in a way for them to understand everything.
Another topic I liked in this chapter was the foot-in-the-door technique. “The foot-in-the-door technique involves making a small request and then following up with a later, larger request” (Pg 282 Ch 2). Overtime if you continue to comply with and work with when others ask for favors you will overtime receive more benefits in the future. An example is you continuously cover hours for people at your job and eventually the manager gives you a promotion. Continuously doing the little things can go a long way.
Journal 6
Page 2 paragraph 2
I like how this passage talks about the importance of recognition between people in communication. I like how the passage acknowledges the importance of how you are received when communicating. It is also important to note that in order to have good relationships you have to be good at communicating with each other. I feel this would help in the lone wolf speech, when you speak to others in a professional manner. You have to address your audience properly.
Page 5,6 paragraph 3
I like how this passage talks about presentation to convince which is a presentation delivered to influence an audience thinking. As I previously mentioned, captivating an audience is the most important part of giving a presentation. Something I also liked about this passage was the topic of “claim of policy.” as a rebuttal, and how to properly use it in that context. This passage is sure to help anyone have intelligent conversation.
Quote- “recognition of the relationship between speakers begins with the acknowledgment of personal relationships.
Comment – Overall this was an informative article and will help me with my Lone Wolf Speech
Question- Is it possible to sway an audience to believe your narrative by souls being personable?
In this paragraph, the author writes about how one has to really analyze their audience before they give a speech. Someone who is giving a speech must do this because they need to get a feel of the audience so that they can build a relationship with them. This is necessary for a good speech because this will have your audience focused on what you are saying. When your audience is not focused, this will prove that the speech you are giving is poor.
Page 277 Paragraph 2
In this paragraph, the author begins to talk about relating to your audience. He gives the very well known Barak Obama quote “My fellow Americans” to show an example of connecting with your audience. It may sound very simple, but those three words made a lot of Americans automatically trust this man as the president of the Unites States. As I said in my other paragraph, when talking about building relationships, this is a great way to do it. It makes each individual in the audience feel as though the speaker is talking to them directly.
The section of the reading on attitudes, beliefs, and values was very interesting to me. It definitely reminded me of how politics works, because an effective politician (and good communicator) knows how to play to all 3. They are also all very connected to each other, which makes it fairly easy to play to multiple at once. For example a homophobic politician might play to all 3 in their audience; the attitude opposed to gay marriage, based on the belief that it will destroy the family structure, a core value of American society. What other, more hidden examples of this might there be?
The table of lost emotions is very interesting to me as well. Even though they are not really given as much attention by communications scholars, they frequently appear in life and fiction. Angry protestors, someone using humor to get a date, a scandal causing disgust against a celebrity or leader, someone inspiring hope in a band of heroes before the final battle. All of these are very effective uses of “lost emotions”. And many of them are commonly used enough where they should get more attention. Why have they not received it in the past?
“People tend to trust and like others whom they perceive as similar to them.” (page 277, para 1)
I think it’s interesting to think about how we can automatically trust a complete stranger just because we feel as though they are similar to us. In the book they used the example of the president giving a speech and beginning it with “My fellow Americans…” which makes the audience feel as though they’re like next-door neighbors and that they understand their personal struggles when in reality, they probably don’t.You can gain automatic trust just by having something as broad as the country where you live in common.
Table 14.1 (page 281)
Communication seems to involve a lot of emotional manipulation. What’s difficult is that there’s a very fine line between trying to change people’s minds for the better and the worse. Say someone is giving a speech on how we need to switch from petrol fuel to biofuel. To some, that speech would be persuading people in the right direction, but to people in the oil industry, they might disagree entirely. There isn’t a lot of black and white in communication as you can’t communicate without bias, your beliefs, or opinions. You are a product of your environment, the only way to communicate without any influencing factors would be right when you pop out of the womb.
Is emotional manipulation acceptable when delivering a speech to an audience? Is it unethical to treat a claim on conjecture as factual even if you’re personally certain it is true/false?
Journal 6:
The main theme of this section is being able to connect with an audience while being in a public setting. One of the most important passages in this section comes on page 276 in the second paragraph. This passage brings up the importance of establishing a relationship as a speaker to the audience. It states that just as in personal relationships, when speaking in a public setting to an unfamiliar audience, we should be looking for certain information to better connect and therefore become more charismatic. It makes the point that people transact their own personalities through communication and therefore it is also important to do so in a larger setting. Another important passage in this chapter is the one labeled attitudes, beliefs and values found on page 278. This passage describes the three core aspects of yourself that you should express as a presenter. Attitudes are something that you should show through your behaviors while presenting and should be very well expressed throughout whatever you are saying. Beliefs are less outwardly obvious and are more often will be expressed through stories. Beliefs of your audience are also an important thing to consider as beliefs are very close to a person’s personal idea of themselves. Values are the most closely tied to oneself out of these three things and in public speaking will often not be directly expressed. Values will most likely be expressed only through stories and as an audience member, you will have to take away what you think the speaker’s values are yourself.
Isabelle Trombley
Professor Miller
CMM 110
9/23/23
Journal #6
Q: “Recognition of the relationship between speakers and an audience begins with this acknowledgement of underlying similarities between public speaking and personal relationships. In personal relationships, people seek to inform, understand, persuade, respect, trust, support, connect, satisfy, and evoke particular responses from one another, and such objectives exist in public speaking situations. In personal relationships, people must adjust to one another just as speakers must adjust to each unique audience to satisfy the goals of a public presentation. People transact their personal relationships through communication and create meaning and understanding that go beyond the simple exchange of symbols, and the same transactions occur during talks and presentations.”
C: I’ve never really thought about this connection before, and how public speaking is quite similar to personal relationships. As someone who struggles with public speaking, I think I find it difficult because I am trying to do all of these things mentioned in the paragraph, (inform, understand, persuade, respect, trust, support, connect, satisfy, and evoke particular responses), while I don’t necessarily have a personal relationship with each member in the audience. Speaking in front of a group of people and trying to persuade them is much harder, in my opinion, than only trying to persuade one person while speaking to them. I also think that even though there are quite a few similarities between public speaking and personal relationships, there are even greater differences that make them two completely different things that aren’t quite comparable in my experience.
Q: Is it possible to connect with an audience on a level that isn’t personal? Does the personal connection between the speaker and the audience really make a difference in their understanding of the speech?
Q: “Previous knowledge of the issue by an audience will also affect a presentation. The audience may be very knowledgeable or have little knowledge about the issue. The level of audience knowledge and understanding of an issue will dictate the depth and intricacy of a speech and what evidence and support material are used, the language used and whether terminology must be defined or explained, and how much time must be spent orienting the audience to the topic.”
C: I can definitely attest to how important it is to know the level of knowledge the audience has before speaking on a topic. I have had experiences where speakers would come into one of my classes in high school and give a talk on a wild concept I had never heard of before, and they would speak about it as though it was common knowledge. This caused my classmates and I to not be able to relate to and understand the speaker, and we therefore were unable to gain anything from the presentation. I’ve also had the opposite happen, and neither situation is beneficial to either side.
Q: With an audience that has a mixed level of knowledge on a subject, how could the speaker balance the explanation for those with no knowledge and those with a high level of knowledge while keeping everyone engaged?
15 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 6”
Colette Murphy
Professor Miller
CMM 110
9/13/2023
Journal #6
Quote: page 277, the last paragraph
Comment (at least 75 words): It is so overlooked to being empathetic towards an audience for not agreeing/understanding/resonating with you as you’re speaking. And what people really don’t understand is that this goes for a teacher/professor as well, so many decide to disregard basic respect when in a classroom environment, and it’s important to respect the speaker as well as the audience.
Question: What are ways one can be empathetic towards an audience?
Quote: page 279, paragraph four
Comment (at least 75 words): I find it so difficult to convince an audience to agree with you as someone who has always tried to look at things from both angles non confrontationally. I’m not sure what I’d do in a situation where I would have to convince or persuade an audience of something, especially if I didn’t agree with it myself. That might be a good exercise though, now that I’m thinking about it.
Question: How would an audience’s values affect the outcome of a speech?
Page 279 paragraph 2
This passage was easily relatable because a lot of people have values that get passed down from one generation of family members to the next generation of family members. It does not even have to be beliefs the passage also talked about how it can be something like attitude and how a certain group or family carries themselves around. However, it does talk about how it varies from person to person in this case the book used the example of family versus wealth and which one is more important. It said how the answer would vary from group to group.
Page 280 Paragraph 6
This part talks about engaging your audience as a speaker. One big factor when giving a speech is the attitude of you and the audience. Also, it talked about what type of speech you make. The presentation of yourself and then how you engage the audience are huge factors. Talking from experience, a good speech engages with the audience while a poorer speech does not recognize the audience and engage them. Overall, though this passage gave good insight into speeches and how to go about yourself.
Question: How do we as speakers read the audience during our speeches and modify them?
The first passage I found to be particularly helpful was located on page 277 paragraph 1. This passage discusses how an audience tends to relate to speakers with whom they can relate with. Subsequently, it mentions how smart speakers will find a way to relate with the audience. For example, how the President will start speeches by saying, “my fellow Americans…” I thought the passage was helpful because this can be a good tactic to apply to my Lone Wolf speech. Especially since I’m focusing on the student option, I can relate to my audience because we are all college students taking the same communications course.
A passage that I found a little bit difficult to understand is in Table 14.1 on page 281. The part that I’m having trouble comprehending is distinguishing a difference between altering an existing way of thinking and creating a new way of thinking. I’m confused because if someone is altering the current way in which you think, wouldn’t that kind of be creating a new way of thinking? Also, if you create a new way for someone to think, isn’t that a little bit like altering their existing way of thinking? The two separate concepts seem more similar than not to me.
DISCUSSION QUESTION: Referring to Table 14.1 on page 281, what differentiates “altering an existing way of thinking” and “creating a new way of thinking”?
Ryan Kelly
Prof. Jessie Miller
Communications 110
14 September 2023
Journal #6
The first passage that I found helpful was on page 277, paragraph 1, in which it talks about how much of an important tool that the audience is to a speaker. This interested me right off the bat because I have also been taught that by my teachers in highschool. It also talks about how if you can make an audience perceive you as a like minded person, then they will tend to trust you. I intend to make my audience believe that I am a like minded individual, same as them, when presenting my lone wolf speech.
The second passage that I found interesting was on page 280, paragraphs 2-3, where it references a claim, “playing video games is beneficial to child development”, at first I was astonished that this book would use a claim as random as that, but it did help set an example for what and how to use a claim of value. It talks about how in order for that to be a claim of value, the audience needs proper explanation on the evidence that supports your claim. This made me think back and realize that maybe some video games actually aid child development. Sure some video games are gorey, but some can help improve motor skills in kids and teach them the things that are right and wrong.
One quote that really stood out to me and made me curious was on page 277, paragraph 4, “the most successful individuals tend to be those who are (a) considered knowledgeable about the topic, (b) trusted and, (c) concerned about the audience”. It made me curious because the topic I chose for my lone wolf speech is how to improve my academic self, and I am not sure how to relate that to being concerned about the audience. My question is how can i be concerned about the audience when the speech I am presenting to the audience is on how to better my academic self? I think I have the first two steps down, but I am a little concerned about step © and how i can incorporate that into my speech.
Sawyer Ohman
CMM110-A
9/14/23
Journal #6
PG 277 para 3
PG 280 para 7
Q: “As already mentioned, you must establish and maintain an appropriate relationship with an audience and base decisions about a speech partly on that relationship.” (PG 277 para 3)
C:
A speaker can only be successful in conveying information if they first establish a connection between themselves and the audience. Another example referenced in the book is the famous “My fellow Americans…” quote from President Obama. Americans everywhere are able to establish a connection with the speaker simply because they are fellow Americans and may share similar concerns or beliefs. Audiences are far more receptive to someone they find relatable, someone that shares the same set of values, attitudes, and beliefs. Knowing an audience’s position on any given subject is also very important for speakers. How do you know whether you’re trying to persuade someone or trying to reinforce their values? Once you understand your audience’s position you can begin to build your speech and develop talking points. Not only is it important to understand your audience’s point of view but it is also important to know who you are speaking to.
Say you’re delivering a presentation on the production of natural gasses and the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Are you speaking to young adults in a highschool auditorium, college graduates who are on the road to their masters degree, or business owners who potentially produce natural gas products. The delivery of your presentation or speech should vary depending on who you are speaking with.
If the speaker is disliked by the audience or thought to have bad values how can the speaker make a connection with the audience and get his or her point across?
Tyler Richards
Journal #6
Communications 110
9/14/23
Paragraph 1-3 / Page 280-281
These paragraphs were very interesting to me because there is a humorous quote talking about how video games are beneficial for a child’s mental development. It was strange at first to read about how video games can benefit children instead of harm them, because my whole life I grew up thinking they were very bad for you. But it sounds plausible that even though video games can be violent or inappropriate, there is an undeniable fact that they also greatly improve hand-eye coordination and cognitive motor skills. And can also increase our happiness and mood when needed.
Paragraph 1-2 / Page 277
These paragraphs get into detail about how to connect with audiences and how to maintain that connection throughout your speech. This is very interesting because it goes into detail about knowing and how to determine what relates most to an audience, and then how to build your speeches or points around their desires. It is important to share common values and goals as an audience If you want your speech to stick and work. It is always best to align with their values if you’re trying to convince them of anything.
What happens to a presenter or person speaking if they are disliked or resented by an audience, will they get a very negative respone?
Daraun White
Journal #6
Page 276 para 4
This passage talks about how you have to analyze the audience you are talking to, and deliver accordingly. It states that as a speaker, you have to figure out the best way to develop and maintain a good relationship between yourself and the people you are talking to and also between the material you are speaking about and the audience. The passage also hints on the many factors that go into the different approaches for an effective presentation.
Page 278 para 7
This passage talks about beliefs or what people hold to be true or false. They are formed like attitudes through direct experience, as well as through media, public and personal relationships. Also, the views on the world in a cultural way. Beliefs are evaluations of something as true or false. Just like your attitudes, your beliefs can change too, but they are always more stable than attitudes. This is interesting because it talks about how you use beliefs to build direct relationships with people.
The first section that stuck out to be was page 276 para 2. This paragraph talks about the relationship that a speaker and their audience has to have in order for a speech to land. And how there is such a heavy relationship between public speaking and personal relationships. I like this angle that it took, public speaking is something that many people are so frightened of yet personal relationships are so much easier to create and interact with. I think helping us see, when we are starting a speech soon, how easy public speaking is and how much it mimics a personal relationship is really helpful. A question that I had from this paragraph is how does a speech land with an audience if there is no connection between the speaker and the audience? The next section that stuck out to me was page 280 para 6. This paragraph is talking about a presentation type that will influences an audiences behavior. I really liked this part because it shows how you can create a way to make people want to be an active member of the things you are speaking about. And how you can get those in an audience to truly understand how you feel about a topic and let them know why they should as well. My question for this section is, would the speech be considered a failure if you didn’t get everyone in the audience on your side?
Wesley Chandler
9/13/23
Intro to Comm.
One of the topics I found interesting was, “Relationship With the Issue and Position”. The reason I found this passage so intriguing is the way they explained problems in situations and why it is so hard to change the other person’s perspective. “An audience may have a positive, a negative, or an impartial view of an issue before a speaker even begins to speak. You must consider this existing evaluation when preparing speech because it will likely influence how the audience receives the presentation and the audience’s relationship with you” (Pg 278 Ch 1). The reason I find this interesting is because in order for you to change the other person’s opinion on a certain topic and show them in a way for them to understand everything.
Another topic I liked in this chapter was the foot-in-the-door technique. “The foot-in-the-door technique involves making a small request and then following up with a later, larger request” (Pg 282 Ch 2). Overtime if you continue to comply with and work with when others ask for favors you will overtime receive more benefits in the future. An example is you continuously cover hours for people at your job and eventually the manager gives you a promotion. Continuously doing the little things can go a long way.
Journal 6
Page 2 paragraph 2
I like how this passage talks about the importance of recognition between people in communication. I like how the passage acknowledges the importance of how you are received when communicating. It is also important to note that in order to have good relationships you have to be good at communicating with each other. I feel this would help in the lone wolf speech, when you speak to others in a professional manner. You have to address your audience properly.
Page 5,6 paragraph 3
I like how this passage talks about presentation to convince which is a presentation delivered to influence an audience thinking. As I previously mentioned, captivating an audience is the most important part of giving a presentation. Something I also liked about this passage was the topic of “claim of policy.” as a rebuttal, and how to properly use it in that context. This passage is sure to help anyone have intelligent conversation.
Quote- “recognition of the relationship between speakers begins with the acknowledgment of personal relationships.
Comment – Overall this was an informative article and will help me with my Lone Wolf Speech
Question- Is it possible to sway an audience to believe your narrative by souls being personable?
Bernie Mulcahy
Page 276 Paragraph 4
In this paragraph, the author writes about how one has to really analyze their audience before they give a speech. Someone who is giving a speech must do this because they need to get a feel of the audience so that they can build a relationship with them. This is necessary for a good speech because this will have your audience focused on what you are saying. When your audience is not focused, this will prove that the speech you are giving is poor.
Page 277 Paragraph 2
In this paragraph, the author begins to talk about relating to your audience. He gives the very well known Barak Obama quote “My fellow Americans” to show an example of connecting with your audience. It may sound very simple, but those three words made a lot of Americans automatically trust this man as the president of the Unites States. As I said in my other paragraph, when talking about building relationships, this is a great way to do it. It makes each individual in the audience feel as though the speaker is talking to them directly.
The section of the reading on attitudes, beliefs, and values was very interesting to me. It definitely reminded me of how politics works, because an effective politician (and good communicator) knows how to play to all 3. They are also all very connected to each other, which makes it fairly easy to play to multiple at once. For example a homophobic politician might play to all 3 in their audience; the attitude opposed to gay marriage, based on the belief that it will destroy the family structure, a core value of American society. What other, more hidden examples of this might there be?
The table of lost emotions is very interesting to me as well. Even though they are not really given as much attention by communications scholars, they frequently appear in life and fiction. Angry protestors, someone using humor to get a date, a scandal causing disgust against a celebrity or leader, someone inspiring hope in a band of heroes before the final battle. All of these are very effective uses of “lost emotions”. And many of them are commonly used enough where they should get more attention. Why have they not received it in the past?
“People tend to trust and like others whom they perceive as similar to them.” (page 277, para 1)
I think it’s interesting to think about how we can automatically trust a complete stranger just because we feel as though they are similar to us. In the book they used the example of the president giving a speech and beginning it with “My fellow Americans…” which makes the audience feel as though they’re like next-door neighbors and that they understand their personal struggles when in reality, they probably don’t.You can gain automatic trust just by having something as broad as the country where you live in common.
Table 14.1 (page 281)
Communication seems to involve a lot of emotional manipulation. What’s difficult is that there’s a very fine line between trying to change people’s minds for the better and the worse. Say someone is giving a speech on how we need to switch from petrol fuel to biofuel. To some, that speech would be persuading people in the right direction, but to people in the oil industry, they might disagree entirely. There isn’t a lot of black and white in communication as you can’t communicate without bias, your beliefs, or opinions. You are a product of your environment, the only way to communicate without any influencing factors would be right when you pop out of the womb.
Is emotional manipulation acceptable when delivering a speech to an audience? Is it unethical to treat a claim on conjecture as factual even if you’re personally certain it is true/false?
Journal 6:
The main theme of this section is being able to connect with an audience while being in a public setting. One of the most important passages in this section comes on page 276 in the second paragraph. This passage brings up the importance of establishing a relationship as a speaker to the audience. It states that just as in personal relationships, when speaking in a public setting to an unfamiliar audience, we should be looking for certain information to better connect and therefore become more charismatic. It makes the point that people transact their own personalities through communication and therefore it is also important to do so in a larger setting. Another important passage in this chapter is the one labeled attitudes, beliefs and values found on page 278. This passage describes the three core aspects of yourself that you should express as a presenter. Attitudes are something that you should show through your behaviors while presenting and should be very well expressed throughout whatever you are saying. Beliefs are less outwardly obvious and are more often will be expressed through stories. Beliefs of your audience are also an important thing to consider as beliefs are very close to a person’s personal idea of themselves. Values are the most closely tied to oneself out of these three things and in public speaking will often not be directly expressed. Values will most likely be expressed only through stories and as an audience member, you will have to take away what you think the speaker’s values are yourself.
Isabelle Trombley
Professor Miller
CMM 110
9/23/23
Journal #6
Q: “Recognition of the relationship between speakers and an audience begins with this acknowledgement of underlying similarities between public speaking and personal relationships. In personal relationships, people seek to inform, understand, persuade, respect, trust, support, connect, satisfy, and evoke particular responses from one another, and such objectives exist in public speaking situations. In personal relationships, people must adjust to one another just as speakers must adjust to each unique audience to satisfy the goals of a public presentation. People transact their personal relationships through communication and create meaning and understanding that go beyond the simple exchange of symbols, and the same transactions occur during talks and presentations.”
C: I’ve never really thought about this connection before, and how public speaking is quite similar to personal relationships. As someone who struggles with public speaking, I think I find it difficult because I am trying to do all of these things mentioned in the paragraph, (inform, understand, persuade, respect, trust, support, connect, satisfy, and evoke particular responses), while I don’t necessarily have a personal relationship with each member in the audience. Speaking in front of a group of people and trying to persuade them is much harder, in my opinion, than only trying to persuade one person while speaking to them. I also think that even though there are quite a few similarities between public speaking and personal relationships, there are even greater differences that make them two completely different things that aren’t quite comparable in my experience.
Q: Is it possible to connect with an audience on a level that isn’t personal? Does the personal connection between the speaker and the audience really make a difference in their understanding of the speech?
Q: “Previous knowledge of the issue by an audience will also affect a presentation. The audience may be very knowledgeable or have little knowledge about the issue. The level of audience knowledge and understanding of an issue will dictate the depth and intricacy of a speech and what evidence and support material are used, the language used and whether terminology must be defined or explained, and how much time must be spent orienting the audience to the topic.”
C: I can definitely attest to how important it is to know the level of knowledge the audience has before speaking on a topic. I have had experiences where speakers would come into one of my classes in high school and give a talk on a wild concept I had never heard of before, and they would speak about it as though it was common knowledge. This caused my classmates and I to not be able to relate to and understand the speaker, and we therefore were unable to gain anything from the presentation. I’ve also had the opposite happen, and neither situation is beneficial to either side.
Q: With an audience that has a mixed level of knowledge on a subject, how could the speaker balance the explanation for those with no knowledge and those with a high level of knowledge while keeping everyone engaged?