Theories of Public Relations | Aswathi Mary Varghese | Department of Communicative English
Theories of Public Relations
In this section, the instructor introduces the topic of theories of public relations and explains how events and actions are related to each other. The instructor also emphasizes that no single theory can be considered as a wholesome for public relation.
Theories of Relationships
- The first theory discussed is the theories of relationships, which is divided into two parts: systems theory and situational theory.
- Systems theory states that an organization is made up of interrelated parts, including internal and external factors.
- Internal factors are known as stakeholders, which include media, customers, community, financial institutions, and government.
- External factors are known as the environment.
Recognizable Boundaries
- Organizations are made up of recognizable boundaries that are related to each other for some activity or another.
- For example, if United PR Works is developing a new product, it has to have a conversation with all these internal stakeholders and utilize the use of the environment (external stakeholder), then only they'll be able to bring about some effective plan or strategy to bring this new product out.
Conclusion
The section provides an overview of theories in public relations with a focus on relationships. It highlights how organizations are made up of interrelated parts and recognizable boundaries that relate to each other for some activity or another.
Theories of Relationships
This section discusses two theories of relationships: Systems Theory and Situational Theory.
Systems Theory
- Systems theory explains how an organization is made up of interconnected parts, including employees, products, and services that must reach out to audiences.
- It is a web of network that plays around with systems theory.
- It emphasizes the importance of stakeholders in describing relationships.
Situational Theory
- Situational theory focuses on the term "stakeholders" from systems theory.
- It recognizes that not all stakeholders will communicate with the organization at the same time.
- There are three important stages in this particular theory: problem recognition, constraint recognition, and level of involvement.
Theories of Persuasion and Social Influence
This section discusses two sets of theories: Theories of Persuasion and Social Influence.
Persuasion
- Persuasion is linked to four different terms: awareness, attitudes, beliefs, and behavior.
- Awareness refers to accepting information given to the public for the first time.
- Attitudes refer to a predisposition of a consumer or audience whether to like or dislike a product or service.
- Beliefs refer to becoming an assessment maker whether you should accept information as true or false.
- Behavior refers to actions taken based on persuasion.
Social Influence
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Persuasion and Social Influence
In this section, the speaker discusses the factors that influence how a person is persuaded to take a particular action. The three important theories of persuasion and social influence are also introduced.
Social Exchange Theory
- This theory follows an economic metaphor of cost and benefit.
- People choose strategies based on rewards and costs.
- Lower cost with higher benefits is more persuasive.
- Examples include get-rich-quick schemes.
Diffusion Theory
- This theory explains how people process information before adopting an idea or message.
- There are five stages to adoption - awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption.
- Awareness stage exposes individuals to an idea or service.
- Evaluation stage determines whether the idea is useful for the individual.
Social Learning Theory
- This theory suggests that we learn from others when predicting behavior.
Introduction to Social Psychology
In this section, the speaker introduces the concept of social psychology and discusses three important theories: social exchange theory, diffusion theory, and social learning theory.
Social Learning Theory
- Albert Bandura is a social psychologist who believes that people can learn new behavior by observing others.
- According to Bandura's theory, individuals try out a particular activity in their minds before deciding whether or not to adopt it.
- It takes time for an individual to accept a new behavior or idea.
Theories of Mass Communication
This section covers three theories related to mass communication: uses and gratifications theory, framing theory, and agenda setting theory.
Uses and Gratifications Theory
- People are active users of media according to this theory.
- Media can be used for different reasons such as entertainment or scanning the environment for things that interest an individual.
- Media can also serve as a diversion or substitute for other activities.
Framing Theory
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Agenda Setting Theory
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Uses and Gratifications Theory
This section discusses the reasons why people use mass media and the gratifications they receive from it.
Reasons for Using Mass Media
- People use mass media as a substitute for personal relationships.
- Mass media is used to check personal identity and values.
- Individuals look at mass media to study their identity or what values they should focus on.
Gratifications Received from Mass Media
- People receive gratification from using mass media for different reasons, such as socializing, entertainment, information seeking, etc.
Framing Theory
This section explains the concept of frames in mass media messages and how they are designed to carry pre-existing meanings and beliefs.
Definition of Frames
- Frames are pre-existing sets of meanings or values carried by mass media messages.
- The messages are designed with frames that already know what will be taken out by the audience.
Sources of Pre-existing Meanings and Beliefs
- Pre-existing meanings and beliefs come from cultural and social groupings in which we live.
- These meanings are not coming from outside but are already present in our society.
Agenda Setting Theory
This section discusses how the mass media influences what people think about through agenda setting theory.
Introduction to Agenda Setting Theory
- Bernard Cohen introduced this idea in 1963 that "media can't tell people what to think; they are successful in telling what to think."
Understanding Agenda Setting Theory
- The mass media is successful in telling people what to think about, but not what to think.
- Agenda setting theory was taken up by three media scholars.
Agenda Setting Theory
In this section, the speaker discusses the agenda setting theory and its relevance to public relations. The theory was developed by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw in 1968 during the presidential election.
Understanding Agenda Setting Theory
- During the presidential campaign, voters followed public opinion and media reports.
- Mass media did not change voting behavior but rather affected it.
- Agenda setting theory attempts to influence media's agenda by providing news items for consumption.
Overall, agenda setting theory is an important concept in understanding how mass media can shape public opinion and influence decision-making.