Ch.9: Public Opinion & Persuasion

What is public opinion?

-A collection of views held by people interested in the subject. -Opinions on controversial issues that one can express in public without isolating oneself. -The reality is that public opinion is somewhat exclusive & extremely difficult to measure at any given moment.

Characteristics of influential opinion leaders:

-Being active in the community. -Having a college degree. -Earning a relatively high income. -Regularly reading newspapers & magazines. -Actively participating in recreational activities. -Showing environmental concern by recycling.

What is preventive public relations?

-Continual efforts to maintain the reservoir of goodwill. -The most effective type of PR

Techniques to make messages more persuasive:

-Drama -Statistics -Surveys & polls -Examples -Testimonials -Endorsements -Emotional appeals

Source credibility is based on 3 factors:

-Expertise -Sincerity -Charisma

Two types of opinion leaders:

-Formal opinion leaders -Informal opinion leaders

Opinion leaders are described as:

-Highly interested in a subject or issue. -Better informed on an issue than the average person. -Avid consumers of mass media. -Early adopters of new ideas. -Good organizers who can get other people to take action

What is the multiple-step flow model?

-It starts with opinion makers who derive large amounts of info from the mass media & other sources and then share that info w/ the "attentive public"

Limitations on effective persuasive messages are:

-Lack of message penetration. -Competing messages. -Self-selection -Self-perception

Two types of framing:

-Media framing -Audience framing

What is the conflict theory?

-Offers insight into differences among individuals or groups and explains conflicting interests, goals, values, or desires. -Public opinion often reflects such different, or even conflicting views, attitudes, & behaviors.

The importance of events in the formation of public opinion:

-Opinion is highly sensitive to events that have an impact on the public at large or a particular segment of the public. -Public opinion does not anticipate events, it only reacts to them. -Events trigger formation of public opinion. Unless people are aware of an issue, they are not likely to be concerned or have an opinion about it. Awareness & discussion lead to crystallizing of opinions & often a consensus among the public -Events of unusaul magnitude are likely to swing public opinion temporarily from one extreme to another. Opinion doesn't stabilize until the implication of the event is seen with some perspective.

Findings from persuasive research:

-Positive appeals are generally more effective than negative appeals for retention of the message and actual compliance. -Radio & tv messages tend to be more persuasive than print, but if message is complex, better comprehension is achieved through print media. -Strong emotional appeals & fear arousal are most effective when the audience has minimal concern about or interest in the topic. -High fear appeals are effective only when a readily available action can be taken to eliminate the threat. -Logical appeals, using facts & figures, are better for highly educated, sophisticated audiences then strong emotional appeals. -Altruistic need, like self-interest, can be a strong motivator. -A celeb or attractive model is most effective when the audience has low involvement, the theme is simple, & broadcast channels are used. An exciting spokesperson attracts attention to a message that would otherwise be ignored.

People are motivated by 8 basic appeals:

-Power -Respect -Well-being -Affection -Wealth -Skill -Enlightenment -Physical & mental vitality

Research found on public opinion:

-Public opinion is the collective expression of opinion of many individuals bound into a group by common aims, aspirations, needs, & ideals -People who are interested in or who have a vested or self-interest in an issue-- or who can be affected by the outcome of the issue-- form public opinion on that particular item. -Psychologically, opinion basically is determined on self-interest. Events, words, or other stimuli affect opinion only insofar as their relationship to self-interest or general concern is apparent. -Opinion does not remain aroused for a long period of time unless people feel their self-interest is acutely involved or unless opinion--aroused by words-- is sustained by events. -Once self-interest is involved, opinion is not easily changed

Two major intervening variables of the flow of persuasive messages are:

-Selectivity -Interpersonal relations

What are informal opinion leaders?

-Those who have clout with peers bc of some special characteristics. -They may be role models who are admired and emulated, or opinion leaders who can exert peer pressure on others to go along w/ something.

Several persuasive techniques when formulating persuasive messages:

-Yes-yes: develop a pattern of "yes" w/ the audience -Offer structured choice: Give 2 options to choose from -Seek partial commitment -Ask for more, settle for less

The Values & Lifestyles Program (VALS) groups people in one of eight categories:

-innovators -thinkers -believers -achievers -strivers -experiencers -makers -survivors

People will stop contributions after a while if they aren't getting something in return. These things in return may be:

-self-esteem -the opportunity to make a contribution to society -recognition from peers & the community -a sense of belonging -ego gratification -tax deduction

Factors in persuasive communication:

1. Audience analysis 2. Source credibility 3. Appeal to self-interest 4. Clarity of message 5. Timing & context 6. Audience participation 7. Suggestions for action 8. Content & structure of messages

Persuasion is used to:

1. Change or neutralize hostile opinions. 2. Crystallize latent opinions & positive attitudes. 3. Conserve favorable opinions. -The most difficult persuasive task is to turn hostile opinions into favorable ones.

The life cycle of public opinion:

1. Definition of the issue. 2. Involvement of opinion leaders (media coverage) 3. Public awareness. 4. Govt/ regulatory involvement. 5. Resolution

By mentoring all sides of the argument, the speaker accomplishes:

1. The speaker is perceived as having objectivity. 2. The speaker is treating the audience as mature, intelligent adults. 3. Including counterarguments allows the speaker to control how those arguments are structured.

Individuals adopt new ideas through 5 stages:

1. awareness 2. interest 3. trial 4. evaluation 5. adoption -people are influenced by media in the first 2 steps -but influenced by family/ friends in 3rd & 4th step

Percentage of the general public that are considered to be opinion leaders:

10-12%

What is framing?

A continual process that the behavioral, attitudinal, cognitive, & affective states of an individual are involved in how they interpret issues.

What is psychographics?

A method to attempt to classify people by lifestyle, attitudes & beliefs.

Persuasion largely depends on:

An accurate assessment of audience needs & self-interests.

What is the two-step flow theory of communication?

Idea that public opinion is formed by the views of people who have taken the time to sift information, evaluate it, & form an opinion that they express to others

Opinion influence:

People are more likely influenced by person-to-person communication w/ informal & formal leaders than by mass media.

What is the N-step theory?

Individuals aren't influenced by only one opinion leader but interact w/ different leaders around one issue

What are formal opinion leaders?

Power leaders that have been elected into their position

Appeal to self-interest:

Publics become involved in issues or pay attention to messages that appeal to their psychological needs.

What is media dependency theory?

When people have no prior information or attitude disposition regarding a subject, the mass media plays a role in telling people what to think.