PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI

MBA, AIT

Module 2: (8 Hours)

Theoretical basis for Public Relations –Theories of Relationships –Systems Theory – situational
Theory – Theories of Persuasion and Social Influence – Social Exchange Theory – Diffusion
Theory – Social Learning Theory – Elaborated Likelihood Theory - Theories of Mass
communication – Uses and Gratification Theory – Agenda Setting Theory – Public Relations roles
– Models of Public Relations – Approaches to Conflict Resolutions

Theoretical basis for Public Relations

A theory is a prediction of how events & actions are related. There is no single theory that covers
all public relations and communication. There are three theories about relationships, five about
cognition and behavior, and two about media and communication. Theories help practitioners
explain and predict human behavior and communication and guide organizational decision
making.

• Using theories can make campaigns and messages more effective.

Theories of Relationships

Cause-effect principles or theories can guide you in understanding how organizations relate to
their publics.

1. Systems theory 


2. Situational theory 


Systems Theory: 


Definition: The attitudes and actions of an organization or public contribute to a cause-effect

chain reaction within their environment. 
The parts of an organization and public exist in
relationship to each other, meaning the actions of one part affect the others. 
Applying Systems
Theory to Public Relations: 


• Systems theory is especially useful to public relations because it helps the practitioner manage

NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.

Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

the organization’s relationships.

This theory emphasizes interdependence between an organization and its internal and external
environments.

Closed and Open Systems:

Closed System: Focuses on the history of the organization and makes decisions based on past
experiences.

Open System: Focuses on input from external publics and the organization’s external environment.

Situational Theory:


Definition: People will act on an issue or situation when they believe it affects them

personally and their actions can make a difference.

Three variables:

Problem recognition: People must be able to see the potential of an issue to affect them
personally. 


Constraint recognition: People must see that they can do something about the issue. 


Level of involvement: People must care about resolving the issue. 
Benefits of Situational
Theory: 
Helps the practitioner predict when groups will become active or remain
apathetic. 
Helps the practitioner create communication strategies for specific publics. 


Cognition and Behavior:

1. Cognitive theories deal with thought processes while behavioral theories deal with action. 


2. Public relations practitioners find it useful to think about effects—how their client’s behavior

NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.

Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

affects others.

Practitioners know that words and actions are given personalized meanings by others,
and sometimes that meaning is not what was intended. 


The practitioner seeks to influence his or her publics’ interpretations to accurately reflect
the original intent. 
Theories of Persuasion & Social Influence: 


To learn how humans think and behave, four theories are highlighted here:

Social exchange theory 


Diffusion theory 


Social learning theory 


Elaborated likelihood model 


• How do people listen and remember?

Social Exchange Theory:

Uses the economic metaphor of costs and benefits to predict behavior 


In general people want their costs low and rewards high (eg. Get-rich quick schemes). 


Apply to public relations by looking at how to let publics evaluate costs and rewards to show
benefit of particular action. 


Diffusion Theory:
Individuals can be influenced to diffuse and adopt an idea by going

through five stages. 


NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.

Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

Awareness: Topic known but knowledge limited. 


Interest: Development of interest begins; information sought. 


Evaluation: Idea applied to individual situations, more information obtained. 


Trial: Use begins on a small scale. 


Adoption: Idea, service or product adopted after being proven worthwhile. 
Mass
media is useful in the first two stages, and personal influence is needed in the next two
before adoption takes place.


Channels Engaged In Each Stage: 


• Awareness: mass media and significant others 


• Interest: mass media and significant others 


• Evaluation: unbiased third parties and significant others 


• Trial: unbiased third parties and significant others 


• Adoption: significant others and personal experience 


Social Learning Theory: 
• Social Psychologist Albert Bandera suggests that we can learn
new behaviors by observing others. 


• When we see a behavior that has the reward we want, we may adapt that behavior for ourselves.



• Thus, in employee relations we can see that if inappropriate behavior has been rewarded for one
employee, others may follow.

NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.

Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

Elaborated Likelihood Model: 


• Theory says there are two ways people are influenced: central route and a peripheral route 


• This model proposes the peripheral route in which people are influenced by such things as the
following:

• Repetition 


• Highly credible spokesperson 


• Tangible rewards (coupons, free samples) 
A Summary of Theories about Cognition and
Behavior: 


• Social Exchange Theory: people act in ways that reduce costs and increase rewards. 


• Diffusion Theory: people can be influenced to diffuse and adopt ideas through five stages. 


• Social Learning Theory: people can be influenced by seeing how others are rewarded for
particular actions. 
Elaborated Likelihood Model: message strategies choose between
central/peripheral routes based on receiver’s motivation to process 


• Theories of Mass Communication: 


• There are two theories that help us understand the powerful influence of media.

• Use and Gratification Theory 


• Agenda Setting Theory 
A Definition of Media: 


• The English word media is a Latin derivative of medius, meaning middle. 


• For our purposes we define media as...

• all the means of communication, as newspapers, radio, and TV, that provide the public
with news, entertainment, etc., usually along with advertising (Webster’s New
NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.
Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

World College Dictionary, 1999). 


• Therefore, in your writing, media is always a plural noun. 


Uses and Gratification Theory:

• People are active users of media and choose how and when to use media based on its gratification
for them. 


• You should research why your particular publics use media. Do they do it... • as entertainment

• to scan the environment for items that are important to them • as a diversion
• as a
substitute for personal relationships
• as a check on self-identity 


• Application for the Practitioner: The use and gratification theory helps the practitioner explain
media effects, or the absence of effects. The practitioner must remember that just because
a message is available doesn’t mean that people will pay attention and remember it. 


Agenda Setting Theory: Agenda Setting is based on the assumption that although media
can’t tell people what opinion to hold about an issue, it has influence on what issues people
think about. 
The Influence of Agenda Setting: The agenda setting theory proposes that
media has the potential to build issue or product awareness, increase issue salience 


Public Relations Roles....the manager


Roles have been defined in public relations theory by public relations scholars Glen

Broom and David Dozier 


• Expert prescriber: person who operates as a consultant to define the problem, suggest options,
and oversee implementation 


• Communication facilitator: person on the boundary between the organization and its
environment who keeps two-way communication flowing. 


NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.

Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

• Problem-solving facilitator: person who partners with senior management to identify and solve
problems. 
Models of Public Relations Practice: 


• Press agentry: oldest form of public relations practice where propaganda tactics, special

events, are used. Little regard for research or ethics. 


• Public Information: intent is to inform through one-way information such as press releases. 


• Two-way asymmetrical model: scientific persuasion using social science methods to increase
persuasiveness of messages. 


• Two-way symmetrical model: depicts public relations orientation in which organizations and
public adjust to each other. It focuses on use of social science methods to achieve mutual
understanding and two-way communication 


Other newer models for Public Relations Practice: Personal Influence model: personal
relationships with keep individuals is developed. Also, an asymmetrical model. 


• Cultural Interpreter model: depicts an asymmetrical form of public relations practice but it
indicates that a person doing public relations in another country needs someone who
understands the language, culture, customs and politics to do business.

• 
Models of PR:


According to James E.Grunig, there are four models of public Relations: 


Press Agentry/Publicity


Press Agentry Publicity model is also called P.T Barnum model. Press Agentry Publicity model
follows one way communication where the flow of information is only from the sender to
the receiver. The sender is not much concerned about the second party’s feedback, reviews
and so on. 
In Press Agentry publicity model, public relations experts enhance the
reputation of the organization among the target audiences, stakeholders, employees,
partners, investors and all others associated with it through manipulation. According to this
model, organizations hire public relations experts who create a positive image of their
brand in the minds of target audiences through arguments and reasoning. They influence
NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.
Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

their potential customers by simply imposing their ideas, thoughts, creative stories of their
brand, USPs of the products and so on. Flow of information takes place only from the
public relations experts to the target audiences. (One way communication) 


Public Information Model 
As the names suggests public information model,
emphasizes on maintaining and enhancing the image of an organization simply by
circulating relevant and meaningful information among the target audience/public. Public
relations experts depend on press release, news release, video release or any other recorded
communication often directed at the media to circulate information about their brand
among the public. Newsletters, brochures, magazines with information about the
organization, its key people, products, benefits of the products, testimonials, success stories
are distributed at regular intervals among target audiences for brand positioning. In such a
model, public relations experts 


need to be creative and ought to have a flair for writing. They should be really good at putting their
thoughts into meaningful words which influence the customers and end- users. Public information
model also revolves around one way communication where information primarily flows from
sender(organization and public relations experts) to the receiver(target audience, employees, stake
holders, employees, investors and so on).

Two Way Asymmetrical Model 


Two way asymmetrical model of public relations revolves around two way communication
between both the parties but the communication is somewhat not balanced. In this type of
model, public relations experts position their organization and brand on the whole in the
minds of their target audiences through manipulation and force the public to behave the
same way they would want them to do. In two way asymmetrical model of public relations,
organizations do not utilize much of their manpower and resources to find out the reaction
of the stakeholders, investors or for that matter public. 


Two way Symmetrical Model


Uses communication to negotiate with publics, resolve conflict, and promote mutual

understanding and respect between the organization and its public(s). 
Two way
symmetrical model of public relations is an ideal way of enhancing an organization’s
reputation among the target audience. According to two way symmetrical model, public
relations experts depend on two way communication to position their brand among end-
users. Free flow of information takes place between the organization and its stake holders,
employees, investors and vice-a-versa. Conflicts and misunderstandings are resolved
through mutual discussions and communication. A two way communication takes place
NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.
Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

between both the parties and information flows in its desired form. The feedback from
stakeholders and target audiences are also taken into consideration. 


Approaches to Conflict Resolution: 


• Conflicts involve an individual or group actively opposing another because of differences in

values and goals. 


• Four resolution elements:

• Separate the people from the problem. 


• Focus on interests, not positions. 


• Invent options for mutual gain. 


• Insist on objective criteria. 


Public Opinion theories: 


• Attitudes: Predispositions to respond in a given way to an issue or situation • Opinions:

Expression of an attitude on a controversial issue


PR Objectives for Shaping Opinion:

• Conserve Favorable Opinion 


• Crystallize uninformed, or latent opinion 


• Change/neutralize hostile opinion 


Public Opinion Principles

• Identification Principle: People will ignore an idea, opinion, point of view unless they 
see
clearly that it affects their personal fears or desires, hopes or aspirations. 


NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.

Module is strictly for internal circulation.
PR MODULE BY PROF MAHAK BALANI
MBA, AIT

• Action Principle: People do not buy ideas separated from action—either action taken or about
to be taken by the sponsor of the idea or action which people themselves can conveniently
take to prove the merit of the idea. 


• Familiarity Principle: People buy ideas only from those they trust. We are influenced by, or
adopt, only those opinions or points of view put forward by individuals or corporations or
institutions in whom we have confidence. 


• Clarity Principle: The situation must be clear to us, not confusing. The thing we observe, read,
see, or hear...the thing that produces our impressions must be clear, not subject to several
interpretations. 


NOTE:This module is just a framework of the syllabus. Do refer to prescribed textbooks.

Module is strictly for internal circulation.