Audience Research w/ Jena Barchas - Lichtenstein

In this episode, we're joined by Jena Barchas-Lichtenstein, an expert in audience research, who works closely with museums to understand and engage their visitors. We dive into the world of audience research, exploring its methods—from surveys to ethnographic approaches—and how it differs from UX research. Jena also shares the challenges of audience research, where data often doesn't provide the expected or hoped-for answers. Sometimes, this means rethinking approaches or pivoting to new methods entirely. We also explore linguistic anthropology, with Jena offering insights into how it differs from general linguistics. While linguistics focuses on the structure of language—syntax, phonetics, and semantics—linguistic anthropology examines how language is tied to culture, society, and human behavior. Jena explains that at its core, linguistic anthropology is about understanding how language reflects and shapes identity, social relationships, and cultural norms. Whether you're an aspiring linguistic anthropologist or just curious about how language shapes human experience, this conversation offers valuable insights into the intersection of language, culture, and society.