Recap

1

• What is Communication?• How do we Communicate?• What is a Skill?• Language Skills• Types of Communication• Styles of Communication• The Communication Cycle• Communication in Workplace

Theories of Communication

Week 1

Phoneme

Morpheme

Word

Phrase, Clause

Sentence

Paragraph

Text

Syntax= Semantics

Combination of two or more phonemes= prefixes, suffixes

Phone=Sound

Discourse/Dialogue

Definition of Theory

• Theory is any attempt to explain or represent a phenomenon

• It helps to answer the “how” and “why” questions about communication

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Characteristics of Theory

• Theory is an abstraction

• Theory is a construction

• As Robert Cox said

• “Theory is always for someone and for some purpose” (Cox, 1981: 128)

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Goals of Theory

• Explanation• Understanding• Prediction• Social change

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The TWO STEP FLOW theory

• The two step flow theory was first introduced by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet in the People’s Choice,

• A 1948 study focused on the process of decision-making during Presidential election campaign

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The TWO STEP FLOW theory

• This theory argued that:

Ideas often flow from the mass media to the opinion leaders and from them

to the less active sections of the population

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The CONCENTRIC CIRCLE theory

2. The concentric–circle theory:

• Theory developed by Elmo Roper

• Elmo Roper: (1900-1971) was a pioneer in the fields of market research and public opinion

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The CONCENTRIC CIRCLE theory

The concentric–circle theory stated that ideas evolve gradually to:

– The public at large moving in concentric circles from

– great thinkers to – great disciples to – great disseminators to – lesser disseminators to – the active audience to – the inert

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Source: www.csus.eduSource: www.csus.edu

IDEA

The DIFFUSION OF THE INTERNET

3. The Diffusion of the Internet:

• The Internet as a communications tool has exceeded cultures, boundaries and geographies

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4. CONVERGENCE theory

4. Convergence theory:

• This digital convergence theory emphasized the new reality of convergence of new technologies

• This means that these technologies integrate all digital media types, including video, data, voice in one medium (the MOBILE)

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5. SPIRAL OF SILENCE theory

5. Spiral of silence theory:

• Is an innovative theory of public opinion developed by Elisabeth-Noelle-Neumann

• She argued that people tend to remain silent when they feel that their views are in the minority

• The so-called silent majority fears becoming isolated

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Why mapping communication thoeries?

Why mapping communication thoeries?

• Public relations professionals should have an idea about these theories,

• because it represents the conceptual foundation which

helps them understand the foundations of a successful public relation strategy

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Goals of communication

Goals of communication

• In public relations, communication should undergo a process of planning, management and reflection

• In public relations every act of communication has a goal, an objective or a purpose

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Four Typical Communication Goals

There are four typical communication goals:

• Informing

• Persuading

• Motivating

• Building mutual understanding

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Four Typical Communication Goals

Informing:

• The communication goal of public relations is to inform a particular public

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Four Typical Communication Goals

Persuading:

• A regular goal of public relations communication is to persuade people to take actions

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Four Typical Communication Goals

Motivating:

• Motivation of employees to “pull for the team” is a regular organizational communications goal

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Four Typical Communication Goals

Building mutual understanding:

• Public relations communicators often seek to attain mutual understanding between opponents in a group, community or society at large

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The Publics of Public Relations

The Publics of Public Relations

Public relations people must communicate with many different publics

• each having its own special needs and requiring different types of communication

• The lines that divide these publics are thin, and

• the overlapping potential is significant

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The Publics of Public Relations

• Publics can be classified into several overlapping categories:– Internal and external:

Internal publics are inside the organization:

• clerks• supervisors• managers• stockholders• and the board of directors

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The Publics of Public Relations

External publics are those not directly connected with the organization:

• The press

• Government

• Educators

• Customers

• Suppliers

• The community

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The Functions of Public Relations

The Functions of PRs

Writing: a fundamental public relations skill

• News releases• Speeches• Brochures

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The Functions of PRs

Researching:

• Beliefs • Values• Attitudes

that influence behavior

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The Functions of PRs

Marketing communication:

• other marketing-related functions, such as

• Creating brochures• Sales literature• Promotions

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The Functions of PRs

Community relations:

• positively putting forth the organization’s

– Messages– Images

within the community

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The Functions of PRs

Consumer relations:

• interfacing with consumers through

– Written– Verbal

communications

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SUMMARY

• Theories of Communication– Two step Flow Theory– Concentric Circle– Convergence theory– Spiral of Silence Theory

• The goals of communication• the function of RPS’S

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• http://www.powershow.com/view/20443-YjhjN/3_Theories_of_Communication_powerpoint_ppt_presentation

• Based on a research and Seitel’s The Practice of Public Relations by Dr. Mohammed Ibahrine

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