Theory isn't just for Academia

     There is a part of public relations that is often overlooked because many see it as tied to academia and that part is theory. Theory sets the foundation for the work of public relations practitioners and helps guide the development of strategies and tactics. Before public relations practitioners are ready to jump into creating a strategy or effective messaging, they must first understand the foundational theories that shaped the industry. So, in this blog, we are going to dive into some of the main public relations theories, but before we do, let’s first set the foundation of the purpose of theories. There are four main purposes, and the first purpose is to explain what is going on, the second is to provide reasons as to why something is happening, the third is to anticipate what is going to happen, and the fourth is to provide guidance on how something should happen. In simpler terms, theories help public relations practitioners explain how and why they make certain decisions when developing campaigns. One of the most common theories in public relations is agenda setting. Agenda setting is where the media sets the agenda for what the public should be focused on. In further depth, the media may highlight a specific focus area, however it is not telling people how to think about it. The next theory is the frame theory which states that the way content is presented to the public affects how it is accepted and understood. The final media related theory is the magic bullet theory. The magic bullet theory is the idea that the media influences behavior by shooting messages at the audiences, however the audience is unaware that it is happening. The next type of theories seen in public relations are the audience theories. The first audience theory is the cognitive dissonance theory. The cognitive dissonance theory states that dissonance arises when there is a contradiction between someone’s beliefs and their behavior, making them feel uncomfortable. The next audience theory is the situational theory of publics. The situational theory of publics seeks to explain why some people are active and seek out information while others are passive and process information provided to them. The final audience theory is the spiral of science which explains why people are hesitant to speak up when they have the minority opinion. The final group of theories we are going to talk about are the public relations specific theories. The first is the excellence theory which explains how public relations can help make organizations more effective by meeting both the needs of the organization and the public. The last public relations specific theory is the relationship management theory which focuses on the importance of mutually beneficial relationships that occur between an organization and its publics. While these theories are at the core of explaining how and why public relations practitioners make the decisions they do, these theories are not static and are designed to evolve as culture evolves so it is essential to be familiar with the theories and present in society.