THINK Public Relations Wilcox/Cameron/Reber/Shin

Ch 7: Public Opinion and Persuasion

Overview What is public opinion? Opinion leaders as catalysts The role of mass media The role of conflict Persuasion in public opinion Factors in persuasive communication The limits of persuasion

Public Opinion Is a Moving Target Public opinion is somewhat elusive and extremely difficult to measure at any given moment. People constantly form and revise their opinions about public figures. The court of public opinion is fickle and variable. Yesterday’s superstars may be tomorrow’s hasbeens. Accurately predicting the future direction of public opinion is extremely difficult because of the number of contingent variables involved.

Public Opinion Is a Moving Target Our book Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street examples What was ‘public opinion’? What factors affected public opinion?

What is Public Opinion? Three aspects about public opinion formation Society is passive. Society is segmented. (people care about different issues) Society is divided. (conflict over differing issues) Public opinion is powerful. Activate public through public opinion Identify key publics through analysis of public opinion How is public opinion generated?

Persuasion = propaganda? Polls about global warming reveal a wide variance. A Gallup Poll taken in the summer of 2011 suggests that only 19 percent of Americans believe that human activity has no bearing on global warming. But, a series of monthly Rasmussen polls showed that more than 40 percent of Americans believe that global warming is not caused by humans. This question will stimulate discussion of the role of opinion leaders in the formation of public opinion.

Persuasion = propaganda? Polling results provide useful fodder for interest groups to advance their agenda. Organizations can and do “cherry pick” surveys with results that support their position, dismissing as flawed those that do not. Remember ‘importance of research’ PR goal? Manipulation of the message or transparency and the ‘truth’? This question will stimulate discussion of the role of opinion leaders in the formation of public opinion.

What Do You Think? What is the role of opinion leaders in the formation of public opinion? Remember 2-step flow. This chapter goes farther… How does someone achieve status as an opinion leader? This question will stimulate discussion of the role of opinion leaders in the formation of public opinion.

Centralized Leadership Trait Approach The leader exercises leadership controls based on individual characteristics Style Approach attempts to analyze how leaders act in certain situations and what they do to attain and maintain their leadership Contingency Approaches or Situational Approaches -- adapt to situation Functional Approach focus on HOW leadership occurs rather than on WHO Leadership Emergence --Leadership emerges in three phases. First, those who are unsuitable are eliminated. Then one potential leader is selected. Finally, there is a probationary period during which the leader must continue to demonstrate his/her skills. What are some of your traits? Does everyone have ‘leadership qualities’ Can we all learn to take on leadership roles?

Shared Power in Social Structure Position Power Coercive Power Reward Power Expert Power Referent Power -- Influence over others, acquired from being well liked or respected by them (more)

Shared Power in Groups Connection Power continued… Information Power Connection Power Functional Perspective -- views society as an organism in which each part serves a function

Source Credibility—our book Expertise Sincerity Charisma

Opinion Leaders as Catalysts Opinion leaders can be formal or informal. Interested in a particular issue Knowledgeable on a given topic The flow of opinion Multiple-step flow N-step theory Diffusion theory

Examples in Society Businesses and politicians have harnessed the power of opinion leaders. An example of this phenomenon is how individuals and companies have turned to Twitter influencers and bloggers to increase hype around specific topics. During the 2008 Presidential Elections, Sean Combs became an opinion leader for voting with his "Vote or Die" campaign.

Examples in Society Former Vice President, Al Gore also utilized the multi-step flow theory to gain support for his nonprofit, The Climate Project. Gore recruited individuals who were educated on environmental issues and had the ability to be influential in their community and amongst their friends and family. He then trained his opinion leaders on the information he wanted them to disseminate. This ultimately enabled them to educate many Americans about The Climate Project and Gore’s overall ideas about climate change.

The Role of Mass Media Agenda setting Framing Media tell the public what to think about, albeit not necessarily what to think. Framing Media and PR both have role in how issues are “framed”, which parts are emphasized.

The Role of Conflict Conflict inherent in news frames Use of media for strategic agenda-building

Persuasion in Public Opinion Persuasion is used to … change or neutralize hostile opinions crystallize latent opinions and positive attitudes maintain favorable opinions

Persuasion and Negotiation Persuasion is comparable to negotiation. Public relations can be used as a tool leading to the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process.

Factors in Persuasive Communication Audience analysis Appeals to self-interest Audience participation Suggestions for action Source credibility Clarity of message Content and structure of messages Channels Timing and contexts Reinforcement

Appeals to Self-Interest Appeal to psychological, economic, or situational needs Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Audience Participation Workers involved in the problem solving Distribution of samples The act of participation encouraged by activist groups

Suggestions for Action Recommendations for action must be clear to follow.

Clarity of Message Public relations practitioners should ask two questions. Will the audience understand the message? What do I want the audience to do with the message?

Content and Structure of Messages Drama and stories Surveys and polls Statistics Examples Endorsements Causes and rationales Emotional appeals

Channels Different media can be used for diverse public relations purposes. Television Newspaper Radio Social networking sites Face-to-face communication

Timing and Context Timing and context should be considered for achieving publicity in the mass media as well as for being persuasive.

Reinforcement A public relations campaign should be in sync with an audience’s core value or belief system.

Limits of Persuasion Lack of message penetration Competing or conflict messages Self-selection Self perception

Be sure you bring your book as hard copy or eBook to class Tuesday Review questions note … study these in advance: there will be no notes used on the Chap. 7 quiz. Be sure you bring your book as hard copy or eBook to class Tuesday

_____ is the propaganda technique of associating the person, product, or organization with something that has high status, visibility, or credibility. transfer

According to Roper Reports, _____ percent of the population drive public opinion and consumer trends. Ten to twelve

People who take the time to sift information, evaluate it, and form an opinion that is expressed to others are known as Opinion leaders

Gandy estimates that as much as _____ percent of what the media carry comes from public relations sources. fifty

The theory that describes how journalists use facts, themes and treatments to shape a story is known as ______ theory. framing

Regarding the role of conflict and controversy, we find that it tends to ________ key publics. destabilize

_______ can be used to change hostile opinions, neutralize hostile opinions, crystallize latent opinions, or maintain favorable opinions. persuasion

simple / ‘everybody is doing it’ Research by behaviorists suggests that public relations messages should be ______ and relay the impression that _________ simple / ‘everybody is doing it’

Ethics and law are completely different from one another. What is most important for public relations professionals to remember when considering the role of propaganda? Ethics and law are completely different from one another.

What are the levels in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? See reading

self-selection, self-perception. lack of message penetration, What are some factors that limit the effectiveness of persuasive efforts? self-selection, self-perception. lack of message penetration, competing or conflicting messages…

Which theory states that media content is influenced by a broad array of forces, all of which attempt to shape a media story? framing

_____ theory says that individuals are seldom influenced by only one opinion leader but actually interact with different leaders. N-step

____ theory states that internal factors such as beliefs, attitudes, and values limit the extent to which an individual accepts or rejects a persuasive message. Social judgment

Which communicaion medium is considered most effective for conveying in-depth information? newspaper

What is considered the most difficult persuasive task? turning hostile opinions into favorable ones.

Which of these is a False statement Which of these is a False statement? (a) Don’t advocate something in which you do not believe yourself. (b) Many messages fail because the audience finds them unnecessarily complex in content or language. c) According to a Nielsen survey, a friend’s recommendation is the most trusted form of source credibility (d) Many messages fail because the audience finds them unnecessarily complex in content or language. Or (e) Using modern communication techniques, the diffusion of messages is usually pervasive. See the reading

As a persuader, which factors are most important to remember when it comes to negotiation? See the reading