Chapter 2: Audience Analysis and Effective Listening
Chapter 2: Audience Analysis and Effective Listening
Values
The underlying principles or standards of desirable or ideal behavior that we use to justify our beliefs and attitudes
Beliefs
Ideas we express about subjects that may explain our attitudes towards them
Attitudes
A frame of mind in favor of or opposed to a person, policy, belief, institution, topic, etc.
Let’s look at an example at how these terms work together to form a person’s belief system. For example, you might say that you value freedom. You might also concede that you believe it is sometimes necessary to police-or even invade-other countries or nations to protect freedom. Your beliefs naturally correspond to the values you hold dear. Furthermore, as an extension of this value, you are appreciative of those who serve in the military to protect your rights. You honor veterans and give to charities that support them. Your overall positive attitude towards veterans and veteran issues is a direct reflection of your belief that freedom is crucial.
On the other hand, what if you have a friend who says she places great value on her health but refuses to exercise or watch her calories? Or perhaps she smokes? Her actions and attitude do not support what she says she believes. Perhaps she argues that she would be healthier if there weren’t so many delicious snacks and treats available, or that it’s not her fault that smoking is so prevalent in our society. In his book Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast: The Evolutionary Origins of Belief , Lewis Wolpert found that most of us like to blame our behavior (especially negative behavior) on outside forces-our situation or circumstances. In other words, when we fail to act or behave as we state we believe, it’s not our fault (15).
Keep in mind, however, that humans are extraordinarily complex, so it follows that our belief systems are equally complex. It might help us to understand these concepts better if we look at attitudes, values, and beliefs through an illustration. Visualize a house or a building. Your values can best be represented as the foundation, or perhaps the basement, of the home. This is the overall support of the structure and as such acts as a scaffold for all the other features that will be added to the home-walls, rooms, roof, etc. Our beliefs are formed from the foundation of our fundamental values. Just as walls cannot be expected to remain upright if the foundation caves in, beliefs that are not supported by a strong value system are generally transient beliefs-they don’t last. Let’s end by adding attitudes into this visualization. Much as we utilize our windows and doors to look out upon the world, attitudes are the tendencies we have to view the people and places around us in either a positive light or a negative light.
As a public speaker, you have a limited amount of time to present your facts and evidence, so knowing how an audience thinks and what they value will assist you as you determine which beliefs can potent