Title: Public Opinion Public opinion drives most of societys culture and mores' But practitioners can influ
1Public OpinionPublic opinion drives most of
societys culture and mores. But practitioners
can influence opinion, both emotionally and
rationally. Bagin Fulginiti on p. 39
2Public Opinion
- How it forms
- Difference between true and false opinion
- Attitude roots for opinion
- Six moments of persuasion
- Profiling and ranking audiences
3Laswell Model
- Who says (sender)
- What (coded message)
- To whom (receiver)
- Through what channel (decoded message)
- With what effect (meaning)
4Shannon Weaver Model
- Claude Shannon (1916-2001) Mathematician, ATT
- Warren Weaver (1894-1978) Engineer, Mathematician
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6Information
- What a person knows about an issue can determine
how a person feels about the issue and whether
the person will do anything about it.
7Attitude
- A predisposition to act.
- A mindset.
- A readiness to do something.
8Opinion
- Outward expression of an attitude.
- Could be a word, action, vote gesture, or nod of
the head. - Outward and observable act.
9Three Effects on the Receiver
- What audiences know (information)
- How audiences feel (attitude)
- What audiences do (behavior)
10Influencing Attitudes and Opinion
- PR Action Plan
- Detect Behavior.
- Discover Underlying Attitudes.
- Modify Attitudes.
- Influence Behavior.
11 Where attitudes come from
- History
- Upbringing
- Education
- Religion
- Affiliation
- Race
- Gender
- Genetic Characteristics
12Temporary Change
- Sometimes all you need is a temporary change in
an attitude to change behavior.
13Public Opinion
- Accumulation of individual opinion, on an
important issue, in public debate. - The contest for public approval of people and
organizations drives PR activity. - Not polls, but a favorable supportive action by a
targeted audience.
.
14Hedging and Wedging
- James Grunig audiences can hold negative and
positive attitudes at the same time. The
negative attitudes can still harm an organization.
15Not necessarily majority opinion
- Several public opinions can exist about the same
issue without a any one having a majority. - Sub-issues can create a multiplicity of opinion.
16Gain Support First
- Most publics dont want to be the first to adopt
an idea. Gain support for a message before you
beam it to the public. Show support to gain
support.
17Serious Issues
- True public opinion cant exist over
insignificant issues. - If the issue isnt important enough, it will be
difficult to generate public opinion sufficient
enough to change the behavior of important
publics. - The public must perceive important consequences
or its just reaction.
18Messages and Meaning
- The message sent isnt always the one received.
19Need for Debate
- Informed decisions yield more reliable opinion.
- PR people use public media to get out messages,
but the public must believe those channels.
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21Cracked Egg
- 1. Mass Sentiment Latent attitudes need to be
activated. - 2. Incident or Issue Columbine leads to
attitudes about gun control, school security,
etc. PR People speeches, demonstrations, letter
writing campaigns, ads, research reports, etc.
22More Cracked Egg
- 3. Pro/Con Publics Form Incidents lead to pro
and con publics. PR People profile emerging
publics to detect strength and source of
attitudes. - 4. Debate Publics clarify their own position and
adopt theirs, anothers, or form a new one. PR
People see what has worked in the past.
23Even More Cracked Egg
- 5. Time Opinion must marinate. Not initial
strong reaction on the 6 oclock news. - 6. Public Opinion
- Accumulation of individual opinion.
- On an important issue.
- In public debate.
- Affecting the lives of the public.
- (PR People often cite public opinion as evidence)
24Last Pieces of Cracked Egg
- 7. Social Action At conclusion of opinion
formation, groups take action to affect societys
behavior. PR People suggest action you want to
take place. - 8. Mass Sentiment Action such as laws can
solidify opinion further. PR People winning
side agree with new mass sentiment. Losing side
disagree.
25Elihu Katz (PENN) Paul Lazarsfeld (1901-1976)
26Media Relations
- PR counselors persuade the media to carry their
organizations messages and it can filter down to
publics.
27Persuasion
- Its like curved space.
- People actually persuade themselves.
- Influence works best when someone wants to be
influenced and wants to gain a value. - Indirect or intangible. To flow into.
28Influence Formula
- Best Interest Least Trouble Influence
- To influence you must reach audiences, identify
with audiences basic and higher needs bond
with audiences values, and be tailor-made to the
moment.
29More Persuasion
- Familiarity were one of you.
- Identification we want what you want.
- Clarity crisp clear messages.
- Action ask for something specific.
30Know, Feel Do
- Message recipe knowledge, attitudes and
behavior. - To be persuasive, you must decide which
combination of the three you want.
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32Moments of Persuasion
33Hitting the Mark
- Beaming a message to an unavailable public is
like talking to a dead phone.
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35Listening
- Good listening is willing entrapment for mutual
benefit.
36Persuasive Audience Probability
37Fraction of Selection Formula
- Benefit/EffortAmount of constraint
- Reward/Effort relationship
- Great Reward/Little EffortAudience does what you
want - Great Reward/Great EffortAudience doesnt do
what you want
38Listening with Feedback
- Paraphrase senders meaning.
- Accept senders attitude about the message.
- Ask a question about the messages meaning.
39Making a Winning Argument
- Behavior, Information Attitude Statements
- Picture Words
- Cases Scenarios
- Groups
- Media
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