Journal of Public Relations Research

Toth, Elizabeth L.; Grunig, Larissa A.

1993 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/s1532754xjprr0503_01

This study proposed to advance the research on roles in public relations by considering through a feminist analysis the breadth of roles that women perform under the managerial label. Although management and technician roles have been useful as parsimonious tools to educate future public relations practitioners about public relations, these labels have begun to develop values of hierarchy and power not found when they were operationalized. Based on a sample of 1,003 respondents, we asked for self-report data on a list of 17 role activities. The resulting factor analysis of responses by gender indicated a two-factor construct that represented managerial and technical dimensions. Further analysis of the dimensions by gender indicated that a combination of roles existed; the women managers did "it all," for less money, and the men in technical roles more likely did managerial activities as well. The women technicians carried out technical tasks.

Smith, Ronald D.

1993 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/s1532754xjprr0503_02

This research applies psychological type theory (articulated by Jung and developed by Myers) to public relations, especially to matters of persuasion and message effectiveness. It includes an instrument developed to measure characteristics inherent in messages that relate to how persons gather information and make decisions. It reports a preliminary study that supports the hypothesis that a person will prefer a message that exhibits the characteristics of his or her own psychological type, and it offers guidelines for using psychological type theory in the production of public relations messages.

Vasquez, Gabriel M.

1993 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1207/s1532754xjprr0503_03

This article conceptualizes a Homo Narrans paradigm for public relations by combining symbolic convergence theory (SCT) and situational theory. SCT results in theory-based data for designing message content but not the relevant publics to target messages. Situational theory identifies relevant publics and when messages should be directed to the publics but not the message content. Combined, SCT and situational theory develop a Homo Narrans paradigm that views the exchange of messages between an organization and public as forms of stories. A Homo Narrans paradigm allows researchers and practitioners to advance public relations as an applied social science.