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CHAPTER 5 PUBLIC OPINION AND PERSUASION, NUR NAJIHAH BINTI AMIN NASER…
CHAPTER 5
PUBLIC OPINION AND PERSUASION
Who are public relations public?
Publics in public differ from the "general public"
Blummer, 1966
Confronted by an issue
Divided in their ideas as how to meet the issue
Engage in discussion over the issue
John Dewey
Face similar problem
Recognized that the problem exist
Organized to do something about the problem
CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC
Internal Publics
Internal publics are groups of people who are already part of the organization
External Public
External publics are group of people who are not necessarily part of a particular organization
Reasons for Defining Public
To determine relevant public relations programme
To determine priorities and work within the budget and resources provided
To reduce media cost
To prepare message in a form that is acceptable and effective
PUBLIC OPINION
Definition
Public opinion is what most people in a particular area think. It is collective opinion
(Dough Newson, Allan Scott and Judy VanSlyke, 1993)
Bernard Hennessy
Public opinion is the complex of preference expressed by significant number of persons on an issue of general importance
Five Basic Element of Public Opinion
Focused on an issue, contemporary situation with likelihood of disagreement
Must consist of recognizable group of persons concerned with the issue
Complex of preference
Expression of opinion involved printed, spoken words, symbols or even gasp of a crowd
The impact is a measurable effect
Vincent Lowe, 1986
Public
A group of a people who share common interest in a specific subject
Opinion
The expression of an attitude on a particular issue or subject
Attitude
A predisposition to respond in a given way to an issue or situation
Important Element of Defining Public Opinion
Public Opinion should be publicly expressed. It should not be held in private
Should be a matter of public interest
Should not be held by insignificant minority, but by the general public
Public Opinion and Public Relations (Understanding Public Opinion help PR practitioner to-)
Effectively monitor shifts in Public Opinion
Pinpoint formal and informal opinion leaders who should be reach with specific messages
Use persuasion to change or neutralized hostile opinion, crystallize latent opinions and positive attitudes, and conserve favorable opinions
Factors Influencing Public Opinion
Familial
Religious
Educational
Social Class
Race
Personal
Cultural
Monitoring Public Opinion
Personal contacts
Media reports
Field reports
Letters and telephone calls
Advisory committees
Staff meetings
Polling and sampling
PERSUASION
Any communication to influence choices. (Winston Brembeck and William Howell)
Any communication, intended or not that cause a change in a receivers attitude, belief, or action
A process that change attitudes, beliefs, opinions, or behaviors
Steps in Persuasion Process
Presenting
Attending
Comprehending
Yielding
Retaining
Uses of Persuasion
Persuasion is used daily by PR practitioner because job of PR involve purposive communication
Persuasion is used to change or neutralize hostile opinions, crystallize latent opinions and positive attitudes, and conserve favorable opinion
Persuasion involves using communication to win people over
The easiest form of persuasion is to reinforce favorable opinion and the hardest part is to change hostile opinions into favorable ones
Factors in Persuasive Communication
There are 8 factors that can help PR practitioner to be successful in their persuasion effort
Audience Analysis
Prior knowledge of group’s beliefs and attitude helps the communicator to tailor message to the group’s beliefs.
Source Credibility
A message is more believable to the intended audience if the source has credibility. People seek authority in sources most of the time
Appeal to Self Interest
People will react positively if the subject matter involves them.
Clarity of Message
Message has to be clear in order to be persuasive
Timing and Context
Message is more persuasive if environmental factor support the message and situation in which the individual is familiar with
Audience Participants
Change in attitude or reinforcement of beliefs is enhanced by audience involvement and participation
Suggestion for Action
People will endorse ideas only if the ideas are accompanied by proposed action from the sponsor of the idea
Content and Structure of Message
Use number of techniques to make message more persuasive including statistical data
ROLE OF MEDIA IN INFLUENCING OPINION
Mass media serve the primary role of agenda-setting
When there’s no prior information regarding a subject, mass media play a role in telling people what to think
Mass media are the most influential in making people aware of an issue or topic
The influence of mass media is exaggerated
The Ethics of Persuasion
Do not use false, fabricated, misrepresented, distorted or irrelevant evidence to support the claim
Do not use unsupported or illogical reasoning
Do not use irrelevant appeals to divert attention from the issue at hand. E.g. smear attacks on a person’s character
Do not ask audience to link your ideas to emotion laden values, motives or goals to which is not related
Do not deceive audience by concealing your real purpose or your self-interest, the group you represent or your position as an advocate of a view point
Do not pretend to be an expert when you are not
Do not hide, distort or misrepresent number, scope, intensity or undesirable features of consequences
Do not use emotional appeals that lack supporting evidence or reasoning that would not be accepted if audience have time to examine it properly
Do not oversimplify complex situation into simplistic two-valued, either or, polar views or choices
Do not advocate something that you do not believe in yourself
NUR NAJIHAH BINTI AMIN NASER (2019420906) BA 111 4C