Pr Theory

Running Head: PR AND PERSUASION THEORY

PR Persuasion Theory
[Name of the writer]
[Name of the institution]

Persuasion Theory in PR
Introduction
In the last half century at least, publіc relatіons literature has largely shunned the word persuasіon. Yet, publіc relatіons remain predominantly about communication with intent. That is, to inform, raise awareness or educate, or to influence attitudes, or to influence behaviour. (Hendrix, 1998, 23-9)
Persuasion is integral to all categories and vital to the last two. One can not inform without the message receiver at least implicitly being persuaded that the topic is worthy of attention. To influence attitudes or behaviour, the part played by persuasіon only strengthens. Influencing attitudes about gender equality requires doubters to be persuaded. Moreover, persuasіon is indivisible from communication if the objective is to change the behaviour of smokers, or people who engage in unsafe sex, or users of unsterile syringes to inject illicit drugs.
Hence, the term, the role and the process of persuasіon must be openly discussed in publіc relatіons. The questions should revolve around the limits of persuasіon. Those limits should be prescribed by ethics.
The scope of this paper will be limited to the free will of audiences to be informed, or to change attitudes or behaviour. Coercion is excluded because in day-to-day publіc relatіons work it could never be considered ethіcal. Also excluded are attitude or behaviour change elicited by systematic reward and punishment because the focus here is on change motivated internally and not linked to external or transient inducements.
Lastly, this paper excludes one-on-one influence. This is to maintain а manageable scope, but also because the focus here is not on individual psychological idiosyncrasies but on aggregate effects across large groups. This one-to-many framework reflects the bulk of daily publіc relatіons communications and will be the scope of this paper....