Public Relations Expert- Sociology And
Psychology Point Of View
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The task of the relations expert is applied sociology. In other words,
he must advise his clients bearing in mind the essential features of sociology and psychology. In particular:
1. He must hold a mirror to his organisation so that it can see where it actually stands and how it really looks in the opinion of the public. Thus is one of his essential duties, and in most cases, it provides the organisation with knowledge of itself, which is nothing short of astonishing.
2. He must collect all available data, so to have a sound knowledge of all his details and inter-relationships on which to work out a clear suggestion for building up the picture to be presented.
3. In doing this, he must help to overcome the many prejudices and biased opinions that are almost always present, and he must be frank in pointing out and attempting to eliminate the weak points and negative aspects of the organisation’s projects or policies.
4. All this forms the basis for the public relations action which must then be carried into effect as a long term strategic plan founded on exact knowledge of the process of communication and making full use of all means of communication.
5. In carrying out the plan, he must keep in mind the fact that public relations is always a two-way communication. Every public relations statement has an echo, which must be regarded as the feedback in cybernetics. Experience shows him how the message was received, and from this he must draw his own practical consequences, in complete disillusion and if necessary with readiness to self-criticism. This is the decisive point in all public relations activities.
6. As a consequence of all these measures there gradually comes into being in the inter-relationship between the communicator and the public under the painstaking control of the public relations expert a large measure of conformity and harmony between the two poles. This is the sense and the purpose of public relations activities.
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