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Public%20Opinion%20and%20Persuasion

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Title: Public%20Opinion%20and%20Persuasion


1
Public Opinion and Persuasion
  • Chapter 9

2
Defining Public Opinion
  • There are many definitions but our text offers
    two popular definitions
  • Public opinion is the sum of individual opinions
    on an issue affecting those individuals.
  • Public opinion is a collection of views held by
    persons interested in the subject.
  • Inherent in these and other definitions is the
    concept of self interest.

3
How Events Form Public Opinion
  • Opinion is highly sensitive to events that have
    an impact on the public at large or a particular
    segment of the public.
  • By and large, public opinion does not anticipate
    events. It only reacts to them.
  • Events trigger formation of public opinion.
  • Events of unusual magnitude are likely to swing
    public opinion temporarily from one extreme to
    another.

4
The Role of Opinion Leaders as Catalysts
  • Opinion leadersFive Traits
  • Highly interested in a subject or issue
  • Better informed on an issue than average person
  • Avid consumers of mass media
  • Early adopters of new ideas
  • Good organizers who can get other people to take
    action
  • Two types of opinion leaders
  • Formal
  • informal

5
Formal Opinion Leaders
  • Formal opinion leaders are usually elected
    officials, presidents/CEOs of companies, or heads
    of membership groups.
  • News reporters often ask such people for
    statements when a specific issue relates to their
    positions of responsibility, concern and/or
    expertise.
  • People in formal leadership positions are also
    called power leaders.

6
Informal Opinion Leaders
  • Informal opinion leaders are those who have clout
    with peers because of some special
    characteristic.
  • They may be role models who are admired and
    emulated or opinion leaders who can exert
    pressure on others to go along with something.
  • Informal opinion leaders exert considerable
    influence on their peer groups by being highly
    informed, articulate, and credible on particular
    issues.
  • Think about your own friends and peers who may
    influence your views on, say, music, fashion,
    entertainment choices.

7
Characteristics of Opinion Leaders
  • A survey of 20,000 Americans by the Roper
    Organization found that only 10 to 12 percent of
    the general public are opinion leaders.
  • These influentialsthose whom other people seek
    out for advicefit the opinion leader profile of

8
Opinion Leader Profile
  • Active in the community
  • Have a college degree
  • Earn relatively high incomes
  • Regularly read newspapers and magazines
  • Actively participate in recreational activities
  • Show environmental concern by recycling

9
The Medias Role
  • This chapter also examines the role of mass media
    in being a conduit in how opinion flows from
    opinion leaders to the public.
  • By specializing in this transfer of information,
    PR people are major players in forming public
    opinion because they often provide the mass media
    with the information in the first place,
    theorists say.
  • Some studies have found that as much as 50
    percent of what the media carry comes from PR
    sources.

10
Media Effects Theories
  • Agenda-Setting Theory- Does the media set the
    agenda for public discussion? People discuss what
    TV news covers and whats in the newspaper, for
    example. Through the selection of stories, the
    media may tell (indirectly/unintentionally?)
    the public what to think about, but not
    necessarily what to think, the theory goes.
  • Media-Dependency Theory This is the idea that
    people are highly dependent on the media for
    information. This is especially so in crises
    situations. In such cases, PR people can be
    quite influential in controlling and shaping
    information as journalists are dependent on
    official spokespeople during the first stages of
    crises.
  • Framing Theory This is how journalists select
    certain facts, themes, treatments, and even words
    to frame a story. This can play a major role
    in public perceptions of an issue or problem.
  • Conflict Theory Because the media can play a
    vital role in presenting and explaining
    conflicts, it is necessary for people involved in
    public relations to know how to work effectively
    with the media to settle conflicts.

11
Persuasion
  • Persuasion is part of the dominant view of Public
    Relations as being about persuasive
    communications on behalf of clients.
  • Persuasion can be used to
  • change or neutralize hostile opinions
  • crystallize latent (or already existing positive)
    opinions and positive attitudes
  • conserve favorable opinions

12
Persuasive Messages Moving People to ActSuch
messages often include information that appeals
to an audiences self-interest. Theme examples
  • Make/Save Money
  • Save Time
  • Avoid Effort
  • More Comfort
  • Better Health
  • Cleaner
  • Escape Pain
  • Gain Praise
  • Be Popular
  • Be Loved/Accepted
  • Keep Possessions
  • Protect Family/Reputation
  • Be Stylish
  • Have Beautiful Things
  • Satisfy Appetite
  • Be Like Others
  • Avoid Trouble/Criticism
  • Be an Individual
  • Be Safe/Secure
  • Make Work Easier

13
Persuasive Message TechniquesThroughout history
these devices have been used
  • Drama helps create interest and engage an
    audience
  • Statistics stats impress people. Use of numbers
    can convey objectivity, size, and importance in a
    credible way that can influence public opinion
  • Surveys and Polls like stats, can impress but
    people should read the fine print
  • Examples- opinions can be bolstered and be more
    persuasive if supported by examples
  • Testimonials using celebrity endorsers or
    victims/survivors can humanize message
  • Endorsements credibility through third party
    endorsements (can be, for example, doctors,
    celebrities, national organizations, or media
    through editorials)
  • Emotional Appeals fundraising letters or
    commercials from nonprofit groups use this
    persuasive device a lot

14
Research on Persuasion
  • Positive appeals are generally more effective
    than negative appeals for message retention and
    compliance.
  • Radio and TV messages tend to be more persuasive
    than print, but if the message is complex, better
    comprehension is achieved through the print
    media.
  • Strong emotional appeals and fear arousal are
    most effective when the audience has minimal
    concern about or interest in the topic.
  • Logical appeals, using facts and figures, are
    better for highly educated, sophisticated
    audiences than strong emotional appeals.
  • Self-interest can be a strong motivator.
  • A celebrity or attractive model is most effective
    when the audience has low involvement, the theme
    is simple, and broadcast channels are used. An
    exciting spokesperson can attract attention to a
    message that may otherwise be ignored.

15
Propaganda and its techniques
  • Propaganda defined The deliberate and
    systematic attempt to shape perceptions,
    manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to
    achieve a response that furthers the desired
    intent of the propagandist. (Jowett and
    ODonnell)

16
Propaganda Past and Present
  • In World War I and II, propaganda was associated
    with the information activities of the enemy.
    Germany and Japan were sending out propaganda
    whereas the U.S. and our allies were
    disseminating truth.
  • Today, propaganda connotes falsehood, lies,
    deceit, disinformation, and duplicity.
  • Social scientists say the word propaganda should
    be used only to denote activity that sells a
    belief system or constitutes political or
    ideological dogma.

17
Propaganda Techniques
  • Advertising and public relations messages for
    commercial purposes do use several techniques
    commonly associated with propaganda
  • These techniques have interesting, colorful names
    such as
  • plain folks
  • testimonials
  • bandwagon
  • card stacking
  • transfer
  • glittering generalities.
  • (p. 238)

18
Ethical Concerns
  • A student of public relations should be aware of
    propaganda techniques to make certain that he or
    she doesnt intentionally use them to deceive or
    mislead the public.
  • Ethical responsibilities exist in every form of
    persuasive communication.
  • (see Ethics of Persuasion bullet
    points, page 241)
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