PERSUASION & COMMUNICATION THEORIES:Message Orientation

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Fundamentals of Public Relations MCM 401

Lesson 35

PERSUASION & COMMUNICATION THEORIES

Overview

Basically while improving upon the definition of public relations the word mutual understanding between

the organization and its publics was rethought and defined to be persuasion for better understanding and

the philosophy pertaining to the persuasion and communication theories in the modern perspective.

Main Definitions Of Public Relations

·"It is a planned & sustained effort to establish & maintain

Mutual understanding between an organization & its publics."

·"It is a phenomenon & necessity of our times."

--- Edward Bernays

·Word Persuasion would be better than mutual understanding.

Quentin Bell

Public Opinion is the collective opinion of groups of people.

2 things sure about public opinion:

·It will change

·Those who hold an opinion were somehow persuaded to think as they do.

PERSUASION & COMMUNICATION THEORIES

2 Theoretical Model of PR Practice

Communication Model

Medium

Decoding

Sender

encoding

Audience

Response

message

FEED BACK

Behavioral Model

Awareness

Latent

Triggering Behavior

readiness

event

Persuasive Strategies Based On 3 Elements

Media Orientation

Whom to tell How to tell

What Media to communicate

Fundamentals of Public Relations MCM 401

( Choice of medium is very critical. It must be believable e.g. Television

Which is highly credible with mass penetration?

Message Orientation

1. Actually message must be evaluated.

2. To be effective persuasive appeals must combine the rational & the emotional.

3. To be persuasive, a message has to present something of value to the target public.

4. Must be compatible with that public's motives.

·Source Orientation.

Source of information has big effect on persuasion.

People tend to believe sources that are like them, like they want to be , or like they perceive

themselves to be.

Research has suggested that source credentials may not matter as much as a message's plausibility &

message quality.

Propaganda & Persuasion Appeals

Some misleading propaganda devices.

Name Calling.

Positive or negative.

Glittering Generalities.

Throngs of greeters. Enthusiastic crowds

Transfer.

Famous person's aura is transferred to less known persons.

Testimonial.

Actual endorsement - not transfer.

Card stacking.

Telling one side of story.

Emotional stereotypes.

All kinds of images are so designed like "good Pakistani", "housewife", "foreigner" etc.

Illicit Silence.

Basically holding information that would correct a false impression.

Persuasion & Communication Theories

There are 5 important elements

--- Robert Cialdini.

Consistency

Reciprocity

Social validation

Authority

Scarcity

Based on the above 5 elements there are 4 principles of persuasion to be kept in mind--

Earl Newman

(Built on concept of personal identification with an idea or a problem).

Identification.

Suggestion of action.

Familiarity & Trust.

Clarity.

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