Download Based on Social Exchange Theory

Theories Used in Public Relations
Management
Theories of
relationships
Systems theory
Situational theory
Conflict resolution
Theories of mass
communication
Uses and gratification
Agenda-setting theory
Theories of cognition and behaviour
Action assembly theory
Social exchange theory
Diffusion theory
Social learning theory
An elaborated likelihood model
Action Assembly Theory
• Why do PR professionals want to understand
behavior?
• All behavior is logical to the person behaving.
• Example: bringing umbrella to school
• To understand behavior, we need to
understand how people think.
Action Assembly Theory
• Thinking can be
explained by three
constructs: structure,
content, and processes.
• Cognitive structure as the
form of our thought
(script, schema or frame).
Our expectations affect
how we process and
store information.
Action Assembly Theory
• Cognitive content is the specific
information, or details, within the basic
cognitive structure.
• Cognitive processes are how we take in,
transform and store information.
What will your
script say?
Action Assembly Theory
• If you are associated
as a source with dull
content
• The good ones will be
missed as well.
• When the lecturer
says there are nine
steps of PR
campaigns…
• From experience, you
know they will be
important at test time
Application of Action Assembly
Theory
• Practitioners must decide:
• Tap into their public's existing memory
structures?
• Establish entirely new ones?
Social Exchange Theory
Individuals and groups
choose strategies
based on perceived
rewards and costs
D
E
C
R
E
A
S
E
I
N
C
R
E
A
S
E
Social Exchange Theory and
Decision Making
• Keep costs low and rewards high in
everything from survey responses to
product recalls.
• When the situation is complex, employ a
matrix to evaluate all possible decisions
Matrix Example
(Based on Social Exchange Theory)
Customers
Find Out
Rewards
Issue:
Defective lot of screws
Costs
X PR Department
Doesn’t Find Out
Option 1:
Recall Screws
• money
• Initial
negative
publicity
• Company
tied with
quality
• positive
Rewards
Costs
Option 2:
Ignore Defect
• lose
goodwill
• negative
publicity
• law suits
• lose customers
N/A
publicity
N/A
Rewards
• no immediate
cost
Costs
• no negative
publicity
• save cost
of recall
Diffusion Theory
• People adopt an idea
only after going
through the following
five steps
Social Learning Theory
• We can learn new behaviors
merely by observing others.
• Personal example and mass
media can be important for
acquiring new behaviors.
• New behavior is likely to occur
when it is seen as potentially
rewarding.
• Chronic complaining of the
employee
• If cold and tough employees
are promoted…
Elaborated Likelihood Model
• Describes two routes to possible changes
in human attitudes and behavior.
• Understanding these two options helps the
practitioner devise effective ways to
present information.
Elaborated Likelihood Model
Involvement
HIGH
Central
Route
LOW
Peripheral
Route
The Central Route
• People are interested in your message,
will actively think about an issue and will
evaluate it with an open mind.
• But, that’s not always the case…
• Not interested, too busy or just can’t
understand the issue?
The Peripheral Route
• The peripheral route is taken when a
receiver is deemed unable or unwilling to
think directly about an issue.
• Hence the person is presented with…
• repetition of the message: candidates for local
office, voting for obvious popular choice
• credible sources: “experts can be trusted”
• source attractiveness (celebrity endorsements) “X
is in the movie, so it has to be good.”
• rewards: donating money to a charity
Elaborated Likelihood Model