Public Relations Exam 2 | Janine Dunlap

Theory

A set of principles on which practices or behaviors in public relations are based, providing a framework to understand communication processes.

Paradigm

A model or pattern in public relations that guides understanding of processes and research methods.

Public

A group of individuals or organizations that have a particular interest in a company or issue.

Internal Public

Audiences within an organization, such as employees or stakeholders.

External Public

Audiences outside an organization that can influence or be influenced by it, like consumers, media, or regulators.

Stakeholders

Individuals or groups with an interest or stake in an organization's activities and outcomes, including both internal and external publics.

Stockholders

A specific type of stakeholder who owns shares in an organization and has a vested interest in its financial performance.

Mass Audience

A large, broad group of people, often the general public, targeted by public relations campaigns.

Target Audience

A specific group of people that a public relations campaign is intended to reach.

Demographics

Statistical data about a population's characteristics, such as age, gender, or income, used to understand and segment audiences.

Psychographics

Data about people's lifestyles, attitudes, values, and opinions, used to create a deeper understanding of an audience's preferences.

Geodemographics

Combines geographic and demographic data to target specific groups based on location and demographic characteristics.

Public Opinion

The collective attitudes or beliefs of a population regarding a particular issue or organization.

Attitudes

Predispositions toward a particular object or issue, often guiding public opinion.

Beliefs

Convictions or acceptances that something is true, often underlying attitudes and opinions.

Opinions

Expressed views or stances on specific issues or topics.

Perception

How individuals interpret and understand messages, often influenced by past experiences and beliefs.

Image

The perception or impression of an organization or individual held by the public.

Content Analysis

A research method used to analyze messages in media content systematically, identifying trends and insights.

Quantitative Research

Research that uses numerical data, often through surveys, to draw conclusions about audiences.

Qualitative Research

Research that explores deeper insights into attitudes and perceptions through methods like interviews and focus groups.

Primary Research

Original data collected directly from sources or the target audience through methods like surveys or interviews.

Secondary Research

Analysis of existing data collected by others, such as reports or publications.

Survey

A research tool used to gather data from a sample of people to draw conclusions about a larger audience.

Sample

A subset of a population chosen to represent the whole in research studies.

Probability Sample

A sample chosen through random selection, ensuring that each individual has an equal chance of being selected.

Nonprobability Sample

A sample chosen based on non-random selection, often used when probability sampling is impractical.

Random Sampling

A method of selecting a sample randomly to avoid bias.

Non-random Sampling

A method of selecting a sample that is not random, which may introduce bias but is often more practical.

Purposive Sample

A non-random sample chosen based on specific characteristics relevant to the research purpose.

Quota Sample

A sample chosen to represent specific characteristics in proportions that match the population.

Accidental Sampling

A type of sampling that relies on people who are conveniently available.

Quota Sampling

A sampling technique in which researchers select specific proportions of various subgroups to ensure the sample represents the population's diversity.

Area Sample

A sampling method that divides a population into regions and selects samples from each.

Focus Group

A small group discussion led by a facilitator to gain insights into opinions, attitudes, or perceptions about a topic.

In-depth Interview

A one-on-one interview that explores attitudes and perceptions in depth.

Pretesting

Testing a campaign or message with a small audience before full-scale implementation.

Nominative

Data or responses that classify characteristics without a specific order, such as gender or occupation.

Likert Scale

A scale commonly used in surveys to measure attitudes, where respondents rate their level of agreement with statements.

Semantic Differential Scale

A scale that measures attitudes by asking respondents to rate something on a scale between two opposing adjectives.

Summated Ratings

A method of combining individual Likert scale items into a single overall score.

Sample Error

The difference between the sample result and the actual result if the entire population were surveyed.

Margin of Error

The degree to which sample results are expected to vary from the actual population, indicating reliability.

Power

The ability to influence or persuade within public relations.

Persuasion

The act of influencing an audience to adopt certain beliefs or take specific actions.

Persuasion Strategies

Techniques used in public relations to encourage or persuade audiences, such as storytelling or emotional appeal.

Personal Persuaders

Individuals who influence opinions and decisions directly, like friends or opinion leaders.

Impersonal Persuaders

Media or institutions that influence opinions and decisions indirectly.

Framing

The way a message is presented to shape how it is perceived.

Sleeper Effect

A phenomenon where a persuasive message has a delayed impact on an audience.

Satiation

A state in which a message or campaign becomes less effective due to overexposure.

Over-campaigning

Excessive campaigning that leads to audience fatigue or diminished impact.

Ethics

Standards of right and wrong that guide behavior in public relations.

Morals

Personal beliefs about right and wrong that influence ethical decisions.

Normative Ethics

Ethical standards or guidelines for acceptable behavior in public relations.

Comparative Ethics

The study of differences in ethical standards across cultures or groups.

Situational Ethics

The idea that ethical decisions should consider specific circumstances.

Fiscal Responsibility

A commitment to managing resources efficiently and effectively within public relations.

Social Responsibility

An organization's duty to act in the best interests of society.

Ethical Responsibility

The obligation to follow moral principles in communication and decision-making.

Deprivation

Creating a need or highlighting scarcity in a message to make it more persuasive.

Scarcity

A persuasion technique that emphasizes limited availability to create urgency.

Reciprocity

A persuasion strategy that involves giving something of value to encourage a favorable response.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A psychological framework that suggests people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before higher-level ones, used to tailor messaging to audience needs.

Cyberactivists

Online activists who use digital platforms to influence public opinion or drive change.

Legacy Media

Traditional forms of media like newspapers, TV, and radio.

Melded Media

Media that combines traditional and digital platforms to reach audiences.

Historiography

The study of historical methods and sources, useful in public relations to understand past trends.

Harold Lasswell

A communication theorist known for analyzing the functions of media, especially in shaping public opinion.

Cantril's Laws

Principles explaining how public opinion forms, used to predict audience response to messages.

Ivy Lee

A pioneer in public relations known for his emphasis on transparency and honesty in communication.

Patronage

The support or financial backing given by individuals or groups to an organization, often in return for benefits or influence, important for sustaining long-term relationships and credibility in public relations.

Satiation

A phenomenon in public relations where a message or campaign loses effectiveness due to excessive exposure, leading the audience to become uninterested or unresponsive.

Steps in the persuasion process IN ORDER (listing)

Presenting
Attending
Comprehending
Yielding
Retaining
Acting

Steps in the research process IN ORDER (listing)

State the problem
Select a manageable and measurable portion of the problem to address
Establish definitions to be used
Conduct a search in published literature for relevant information
Develop a hypothesis
Design the experiment or the study; this involves defining the population you wish to study and then choosing a sampling method
Obtain the data
Analyze the data
Interpret the data to make inferences, generalizations
Communicate the results

Genderlect

Founder: Deborah Tannen
Definition: A speech variety or communication style particularly associated with one sex.

Convergence

Founder: Henry Jenkins
Definition: Is the merging of the different communication channels and platforms.

Agenda Setting

Founder: Maxwell McCombs
Definition: The social science theory that explains how editors, journalists, and broadcasters determine what news is displayed and in how much depth.

Uses and Gratifications

Founder: Elihu Katz
Definition: Asserts that people use media to gratify specific wants and needs.

Social Judgement

Founder: Corlyn Sherif
Definition: Explains how people evaluate and form opinions about ideas by comparing them to their current attitudes.

Cognitive Dissonance

Founder: Leon Festinger
Definition: A term for the state of discomfort felt when two or more modes of thought contradict each other.

Diffusion of Innovation

Founder: E.M. Rogers
Definition: A social science theory that explains how new ideas, behaviors, products, or technologies spread through a population or social system.

Rhetoric

Founder: Aristotle
Definition: The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

Name Calling

Definition: Attacking an opponent personally instead of addressing their arguments.
Example: Calling a candidate "incompetent" rather than discussing their policies.

Glittering Generalities

Definition: Using vague, positive words that sound good but lack detail.
Example: Advertising a product as "revolutionary" without explaining why.

Transfer

Definition: Associating a symbol or idea with something unrelated to influence perception.
Example: Using a national flag in ads to promote a product as patriotic.

Testimonial

Definition: Endorsement by a well-known person to build trust.
Example: A celebrity promoting a skincare product.

Plain Folks

Definition: Presenting someone as an ordinary person to appeal to the masses.
Example: A politician dressing casually and eating at a local diner.

Bandwagon

Definition: Encouraging people to follow the crowd or join in because others are.
Example: "Everyone is buying this product—don't miss out!"

Card-Stacking

Definition: Showing only the positive side of something and hiding negatives.
Example: Highlighting a product's benefits but omitting its side effects.

Emotional Steroetypes

Definition: Using stereotypes to appeal to specific emotions.
Example: Ads showing families happily enjoying a meal to sell kitchen products.

Illicit Silence

Definition: Intentionally omitting information that would change perception.
Example: A politician ignoring questions about a controversial issue.

Subversive Rhetoric

Definition: Using language to subtly undermine an idea or opponent.
Example: Referring to a policy as "radical" to make it seem extreme.

Which of the following is NOT something you need to know to be able to judge whether you can reliably use existing research?

The software program used to analyze the data

In a probability sample, members are chosen:

At random

True/False: In public relations, the term "public" encompasses any group of people who are tied together, however loosely, by some common bond of interest or concern and who have consequences for an organization.

True

True/False: The general ordering of which publics are most important to an organization often changes when publics are prioritized based on a specific issue.

True

The ______________ suggests an untrustworthy source of a persuasive message may be forgotten after a long period of time, leaving a residue of information remembered as fact.

Sleeper effect

Deliverables

Any kind of content the client wants to post.