Week 5 (Theories)

Question 1

What is theory?

Answer 1

Theory: A collection of propositions, assumptions or facts that explain and predicts the effects of processes or behaviours
Not a set of unbending rules, but a guide

Question 2

Why bother with theory?

Answer 2

Help determine appropriate goals and objectives as well as the strategies used to achieve these.
(Austin & Pinkleton, 2006)

Academic foundation makes PR practitioners more effective in managing relationships between publics and an organisation –>
now a management discipline (Moncour, 200^)

Understand why a certain campaign failed

Question 3

Public relations theory is…

Answer 3

an integration of academic principles of communication, pr research and case history.

Draws on other disciplines, e.g. psychology, sociology, business management, journalism and anthropology

Question 4

Where does ‘Propaganda’ come from?

Answer 4

1600s - Catholic Church established a College of Propaganda to “help propagate the faith”

Lost respectability with the allies use of it in the Great War and Nazi’s use in WWII

Question 5

Edward Bernays (Propaganda, 1928)

Answer 5

• importance of “the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits and opinions of the masses in democratic society”

Believed that it was part of democratic ideals (Harold Lasswell disagrees)

Question 6

Jowett and O’Donnell, Grunig and Hunt Propaganda view

Answer 6

Jowett and O’Donnell, Grunig and Hunt - refer to the manipulation to further the desired intent of the propagandist: use ‘propaganda’ to denote income, distorted or half-true information

Question 7

Kevin Moloney classification of public relations

Answer 7

“PR… is public communication designed to manipulate or persuade. It is weak propaganda - more ‘ordering’ and ‘telling’ than ‘listening’ and ‘talking’

Moloney’s theory suggests that whatever the honourable intentions of PR people: “Modern PR is competitive communication seeking advantage for its principals…”

Question 8

Symmetrical/excellence theory

Answer 8

Developed mid 1990s

Implies that ideal pr work can be achieved by symmetrical two-way communication

If two-way, should be win win → possible if parties are able to reach agreement or at least partial agreement, however ultimately opposed they are:

“Excellent public relations departments develop programs to communicate actively and symmetrically with activists. Organisations that collaborate with activists develop a competitive advantage… because they behave in a way that is acceptable to publics and therefore make fewer decisions that results in negative publicity and regulation, litigation and opposition” (Botan & Hazleton, 2006)

Question 9

Grunig and Hunt’s ‘Four Models’ 1984

Answer 9

1. Press agentry / publicity model (stunts)
2. Public information model (accurate info disseminated
3. Two-way asymmetric model (open dialogue, modifies messages to influence audience)
4. Two-way symmetric model
   (feedback used to change organisational practices)

Question 10

Critics of Symmetrical/excellence model

Answer 10

Moloney 2006: “communicative idealism”

Question 11

Situational Theory

Answer 11

Non-publics (not worried about it)

Latent publics (not aware of it)

Aware publics (know and might be come ACTIVE) (only if they’re sufficiently motivated and feel as though they can create change)

Question 12

Systems Theory

Answer 12

An org can be seen as a system. When it is working properly it is in ‘equilibrium’

Boundary spanner –> when the org crosses boundaries with departments or even communicates to external systems

Open and closed systems

Question 13

Hierarchy of effects theory

Answer 13

Suggests sequence in which people may come to be persuaded:

1. Awareness
2. Comprehension
3. Agreement or acceptance
4. Retention of the acceptance and consequence behaviour change

A PR campaign needs to be designed with these stages in mind

Question 14

Persuasion and media effects theory

Answer 14

20th century - interest grew in the ways mass media affected public opinion and purchasing decisions
No longer believe hypodermic needle theory

Main concepts:

Beliefs: may be shaped by formal/informal education or lack of it; political social, cultural, economic factors; religious observance

Attitudes: arise from rational and irrational beliefs

Opinion: Ultimate expression of people’s knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, values and knowledge

Question 15

Agenda-setting theory

Answer 15

Theory that news media suggest an agenda of what the think about (not what to think)
News media prioritise what news is ‘important’

Question 16

Social exchange theory

Answer 16

Points that people are more likely to open their minds and behave in a certain way if there is an exchange of good will
E.g. local company sponsoring the town sports team; MD taking into account employee wished before seeking reciprocal consideration

Question 17

Elaboration likelihood theory

Answer 17

Sometimes the most effective way to get a message across is to send the same message in different ways via different media

Same message, different mediums
Reinforces the message

Question 18

Co-orientation theory

Answer 18

Do not presume how others think!

Co-orientation theory looks into internal thinking → how people code their communication
Importance of testing campaign messages on a sample public before general release

Importance of testing campaign messages before releasing them

Question 19

Framing theory

Answer 19

The use of styles of discourse that ‘frame’ a discussion in someone’s preferred terms