CHAPTER 9: PUBLIC OPINION AND PERSUASION
OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter students should be able to:
1. Understand the implications of public opinion for public relations.
2. Explain the crucial role of opinion leaders in public discourse.
3. Describe the key theories explaining the role of mass media.
4. Understand the pervasive role of persuasion in modern life.
5. Enumerate key factors in persuasion.
6. Identify major considerations in conducting ethical persuasive campaigns.
SUGGESTED PROJECTS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter outlines the basic concepts of public opinion formation and persuasion.
Sufficient examples are given to explain major points, but students can best learn the
lessons of the chapter by applying persuasion techniques to a particular situation or
problem. It is also important for students to realize that there are limitations to persuasion,
and there should be responsibility with knowledge.
1. A good video for this chapter is “Consuming Images,” part of the series “Public
Mind” available through PBS Video, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA
22314-1698. This program looks at a society inundated with visual messages, all
attempting to persuade the consumer. The program examines the work of
professional pollsters and market researchers as they seek to understand and change
public opinion. The video provides a good framework for discussion of the ethical
and social responsibilities of public relations and advertising professionals as they
seek to “manipulate” public opinion on behalf of clients and employers.
2. Another good video to show students to demonstrate the role of persuasion in the
communication’s industry is the PBS video, “The Persuaders”. The video is
available online (in segments)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/view/
3. Discuss opinion leaders in class. First, list several topic areas on the board (movies,
fashion, technology, music, politics, etc.) and ask students to write down who they
go to for information on these topics. In addition, ask students to place a star next to
the topics that they serve as a source of information for others. The goal is to have
students realize that everyone is an “opinion leader” on something. At the most
basic level, they are the “opinion leader” about the class to friends who are not
enrolled or majoring in public relations or journalism. Second, ask them who the
“formal” and “informal” opinion leaders are on campus. They will discover that the
formal opinion leaders like the president of the university may transcend a number
of issues; but others, like the football coach, are only leaders in a specialized area.
4. Provide two different polls for students to review. Find a poll from a popular,
celebrity of fashion magazine and a poll from a source like Harris, Gallup or Roper.
Discuss the differences between these polls and highlight the importance of factors
such as source credibility, reliability, margin of error, and timing of polls?
5. Discuss the role of the mass media in the formation of public opinion by analyzing
media coverage through the concepts presented in framing theory. Ask students to
bring in several different newspaper articles on the same topic. After discussing
framing theory, have students look for the ways in which journalists have framed
the issue through the use of words, placement, and tone.
6. Based on the three factors of a credible source, ask students to choose a
spokesperson for the following scenarios:
• Weight loss program
• Troubled teen hotline
• Animal rescue organization
• Energy conservation program
• International adoption agency
• Tax reform program
• American Heart Association
7. Ask students to locate an emotional appeal from a nonprofit organization, either an
advertisement in a magazine or a direct mail letter. Ask them to critique the
persuasion techniques used, and evaluate the effectiveness of the emotional appeal.
CASE ACTIVITY: PERSUADING PEOPLE TO SUPPORT A CAUSE
The community members who are the target of this campaign are likely to be opinion
leaders. Considering the media habits of this audience, students should begin looking for
examples from print media. The target audience is also likely to be well educated, so they
will understand how education can change lives. Examples should be chosen accordingly.
In addition, publicity examples that stress new ideas and approaches are likely to be
successful with this group. Source expertise, sincerity, and charisma will be crucial factors
in any effective example. Finally, the most successful publicity examples will appeal to the
community members’ self-interest or sense of altruism, as described in this chapter.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND DISCUSSION
1. Public opinion is highly influenced by self-interest and events. What are these
concepts?
2. What groups represent formal opinion leaders? Informal?
3. Psychologists have identified several ways to formulate persuasive messages.
What are they?
4. Name the three objectives of persuasion in public relations work. What objective
is the most difficult to accomplish?
5. What are the three factors involved in sources credibility?
6. What is meant by “audience participation” in persuasion? Give some examples of
how audience participation can be used.
7. Drama, statistics and testimonials are three examples of persuasive devices. Give
examples of each and identify the four additional devices.
8. What can limit the effectiveness of persuasion?
9. What are some of the ethical responsibilities of a person who uses persuasion
techniques to influence others?