Chapter Four: Public Opinion
Learning Perspectives Public opinion is an elusive and fragile commodity. It can take years to build credibility and nurture trust, but only minutes to destroy it. Individuals and companies in the public eye cannot afford to tarnish their reputations. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -2
Learning Perspectives The best public relations campaign can’t build trust when reality is destroying it. In the 21 st century, public opinion is a combustible and changing commodity. It is difficult to move people toward a strong opinion on anything, and harder yet to move them away from an opinion once it is formed. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -3
Learning Perspectives The heart of public relations work lies in influencing the public opinion process. Most PR programs are designed to: 1. Persuade people to change their opinion. 2. Crystallize uninformed opinions. 3. Reinforce existing opinions. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -4
The professional challenge…. To understand: What public opinion is How it evolves from people’s attitudes How it is influenced by communication Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -5
What is public opinion? Experts have created dozens of definitions. Public relations pioneer Edward Bernays called it “a term describing an ill-defined, mercurial, and changeable group of individual opinions. ” Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -6
What is public opinion? “ public opinion is not the name of something, but the classification of a number of somethings” Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -7
Let’s split the term in two… A public signifies a group of people who share a common interest in a specific subject. Opinion is the expression of an attitude on a particular topic. When attitudes become strong enough, they surface in the form of opinions. When opinions become strong enough, they lead to verbal or behavioral actions. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -8
Public opinion is determined by three major factors: Attitudes Opinions Actions Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -9
What is public opinion? Public opinion then is the aggregate of many individual opinions on a particular issue that affects a group of people. Stated another way, public opinion represents a consensus. That consensus, deriving as it does from many individual opinions, begins with people attitudes towards an issue. Trying to influence an individual attitude is a primary focus of the practice of public relations Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -10
What are attitudes? Attitudes are evaluations that people make about specific problems or issues. Their conclusions may not be connected to any broad attitude on a given subject. An individual’s attitude may differ from issue to issue. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -11
More on attitudes… Attitudes are based on many characteristics: Personal Cultural Educational Familial Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall Religious Social class Race 4 -12
More on attitudes… Personal: the physical and emotional ingredients of an individual , including size, age and social status Cultural : the environment and lifestyle of a particular country or geographic area. The cultures of Saudi Arabia and the United states, for example, differ greatly. Cultural differences between rural and urban Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -13
More on attitudes… Educational : the level and quality of a person’s education. To appeal to the increased of college graduates today, public communication has become more sophisticated Familial: people’s roots. Children acquire their parents’ tastes, biases, political partisanships, and a host of other characteristics Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -14
More on attitudes… Religious : a system of beliefs about God. Social class: position within the society. As people’s social status changes, so do their attitudes. For example, a college student, unconcerned with making a living, may change his/her attitudes about such concepts as big business, government after entering the job market Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -15
More on attitudes… Race: ethnic group, which today helps shape people’s attitudes. Research indicates that attitudes and behaviors are situational- influenced by specific issues in specific situations. Nonetheless, when others with similar attitudes reach similar opinions , a consensus or public opinion is born. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -16
How are attitudes influenced? On any given issue: A small percentage expresses strong support. A small percentage expresses strong opposition. The vast majority doesn’t care much. This “muddled middle” represents the greatest opportunity for public opinion change. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -17
How are attitudes influenced? Its hard to change the mind of a person who is opposed to a particular issue or individual. Likewise, its easy to reinforce the support of a person who is wholeheartedly in favor of an issue or individual. Social scientist Leon Festinger discussed this concept when he talked about theory of cognitive dissonance. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -18
Four theories of attitude change
1. Theory of Cognitive Dissonance We tend to avoid information that is opposed to our own point of view. We tend to seek out information that is consistent with our own point of view. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -20
2. Social Judgment Theory People have a range of opinions on a certain subject, anchored by a clear attitude. Although it is seldom possible to change this anchor position, communicators can work within this range, or “latitude of acceptance. ” to modify a person’s opinion. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -21
3. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs The bottom of the hierarchy contains basic needs, which must first be satisfied before moving upward to higher needs. PR practitioners must know their audiences and correctly target their levels for effective message design. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -22
4. Elaboration-Likelihood Model Attitudes can be changed in one of two ways: When we are interested and focused enough on a message, we take a “central” route to decision making. When we are not engaged with a message, we need to take a more “peripheral” route to decision making. Can you think of some persuasion settings in which this theory might apply? Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -23
4. Elaboration-Likelihood Model Translating this theory into action means that the best way to motivate interested people is with arguments that are strong, logical and personally relevant. On the other hand, the way to motivate people who are less interested might be through putting them in a better mood with a joke. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -24
The power of persuasion Persuasion is perhaps the most essential element in influencing public opinion. Persuading is the ultimate goal of the vast majority of public relations programs. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -25
The power of persuasion Persuasion theory has explanations and interpretations. Basically , persuasion means getting another person to do something through advice, reasoning or just plain arm twisting. Books have been written on the enormous power of advertising and public relations as persuasive tools. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -26
The power of persuasion According to the classical persuasion theory, people may be of two minds in order to be persuaded to believe in a particular position or take a specific action First, the systematic mode, referring to a person who has carefully considered an argument , activity, creatively and alertly. Second is the heuristic mode, referring to a person who is skimming the surface and not really focusing on intricacies of a particular position to catch flaws, or errors. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -27
The power of persuasion This is not to say that all the systematic thinker and the heuristic thinkers think alike, they don’t. Things are more complicated than that. Lets say that your little brother wants a pair of basketball shoes and you dad accompanies him to the store to buy them. Both are systematic thinkers , but they have different questions !! Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -28
The power of persuasion Your dad asks: How much do they cost? How long will they last? Is the store nearby so I can get back to home? Your brother asks: Does Jordan Endorse them? Do all my homeboys wear them? Will Selena Gomez go out with me if I buy them? Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -29
The power of persuasion The point is all of us are persuaded by different things which makes the challenges for public relations professionals much more a complex art from than a science. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -30
How are people persuaded? Radical organizer Saul Alinsky says: “People only understand things in terms of their own experience…If you try to get your ideas across to others without paying attention to what they have to say to you, you can forget about the whole thing. ” To persuade, you must cite evidence that coincides with people’s own beliefs, emotions and expectations. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -31
What kinds of evidence persuades? Facts facts are indisputable , although its true, as they say, that liars figure and figures lie. Empirical data are a persuasive device in hammering a point of view. Good PR programs always start with research: the facts. Emotions Maslow was right , people do respond to emotional appeals such as love , peace, family. We can think, but we also respond to emotional appeals. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -32
What kinds of evidence persuades? Personalizing People respond to personal experiences and stories. When American most wanted Tv host John Walsh crusades against criminals who prey on children , people understand that his son was killed by a crazed individual. Appealing to “you” People want to know, “What’s in it for me? ” Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -33
What kinds of evidence persuades? As simple as these four percepts are, they are often difficult for some to grasp emotions. For example. A particular challenge for a business leaders who presume incorrectly that showing it is a sign of weakness. This of course is wrong. The power to persuade is the measure not only of a charismatic but also an effective leader. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -34
Influencing public opinion Public opinion is a lot easier to measure that it is to influence. Public relations program can crystallize attitudes, reinforce beliefs and occasionally change public opinion First: the opinions to be changed or modified must be identified and understood Second: target publics must be clear Third: public relations professionals mush focus on the laws that govern public opinion Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -35
Influencing public opinion The laws of public opinion developed many year ago by Hadley Cantril. Few recent events more strongly underscored the relevance of Cantril’s law than the unprecedented attacks on America of September, 11, 2001 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -36
Cantril’s Laws of Public Opinion is highly sensitive People are able to form to important events. opinions more easily on goals than on methods to reach Opinion is determined those goals. more by events than words. If people in a democracy are provided with education and At critical times, we are access to information, public more sensitive to the opinion reveals a hardadequacy of leadership. headed common sense. Once self-interest is involved, opinions are slow to change. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -37
Cantril’s Laws of Public Opinion is highly sensitive to important events: events of unusual magnitude are likely to swing public opinion from one extreme to another. Opinions doesn’t become stabilized until the implications of events are seen in some perspective. 2. Opinion is generally determined more by events than by words 1. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -38
Cantril’s Laws of Public Opinion 3. At critical times, people become more sensitive to the adequacy of their leadership, if they have confidence in it, they are willing to assign more than usual responsibility to it, if they lack confidence in it , they are less tolerant than usual 4. Once self interest is involved, opinions are slow to change : even after the U. S invaded Iraq to Oust Saddam Hussein in March, 2003 Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -39
Cantril’s Laws of Public Opinion American supported continued for the war effort , the support began to wane when the 2000 American soldiers were killed in October, 2005. 5. People have more opinions and are able to form opinions more easily on goals than on methods to reach those goals Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -40
Cantril’s Laws of Public Opinion 6. By and large, if people in a democracy are provided with educational opportunities an ready access to information , public opinion reveals a hardheaded common sense. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -41
Polishing the corporate image 1. Organizations must understand that credibility is a fragile commodity. 2. To keep public support, they must operate with the implicit trust of the public. 3. In the 21 st century, winning favorable public opinion isn’t an option – it’s a necessity. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -42
Polishing the corporate image The best example for that is when the New York Governor Spitzer was forced to resign after it was revealed that he had paid for prostitutes ( which is illegal ) and may have even transported them across state lines ( which is also illegal). Mr. Spitzer was forced to resign as governor!!!! Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -43
Managing reputation For anyone concerned about public opinion, it all comes down to managing reputation. Reputation is gained by what one does, not by what one says. The practice of reputation management aligns communications with an organization’s character and action. It creates recognition , credibility and trust among key constituents. It stays sensitive to its conduct in public with customers and private with employees Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -44
Managing reputation… Organizations must be empathetic to broader society and its needs. Although reputation is difficult to measure, it is a tangible asset. Managing reputation is a frontline public relations responsibility. Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 4 -45
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