Exam 1 - Public Opinion and Persuasion

Public Opinion

The collective opinion of many individuals bound to a group

5 Characteristics of public opinion

• Direction: The evaluative quality of an opinion (ex. pro/con, for/against)

• Intensity: How strongly people feel about their opinion; Likert scale used

• Stability: Amount of time an opinion has been held

• Informational Support: Amount of knowledge held about the object of an opinion

• Social Support: The extent that people think others share their opinions

Likert Scale

Standard 5-Point Agreement Scale

1. Strongly disagree

2. Disagree

3. Neither agree nor disagree (Neutral)

4. Agree

5. Strongly agree

Magic Bullet Theory

Effects of media are immediate, direct, and powerful; the same for everyone

Limited Effects Theory

Effects of media are greater on some people (children) and lesser on others

• Two-step flow model

Minimal Effect Theory

Effects of media are limited as audiences are active information processors; Media is only a reflection of culture

Two Step Flow Theory

Media → Opinion Leader → Public

Multiple-Step Flow Theory

Types of opinion leaders

• Formal/Power

• Informal

• Influentials

3 Perceptual Processes

• Selective Exposure

• Selective Perception

• Selective Retention

Agenda Setting Theory

Media sets the agenda for what is important to think about

• Goal of PR to get a subject on the media agenda

Media Agenda

The topics/issues mass media outlets identified as newsworthy

Framing Theory

How journalists use facts, themes, and words to frame & shape a story