The article contains the use of public opinion management in the field of public relations.
Keywords: public opinion, public relations, society, psychology, social environment.
В статье рассматривается использование управления общественным мнением в сфере связей с общественностью.
Ключевые слова: общественное мнение, общественные отношения, общество, психология, социальная среда.
Introduction
For most developed countries, public opinion is one of the key indicators of the effectiveness of interaction between government and the population. Due to the fact that the mood in society directly affects the welfare of the state, the government, to one degree or another, has to monitor, control and manage public opinion in accordance with the political course chosen by the country. And although this phenomenon often has a negative connotation due to the fact that the management of public opinion is often understood as the manipulation of mass consciousness in the selfish interests of the elites, however the use of this technique in a positive and creative way is also common.
Main definitions
First of all, it is worth stopping your attention on the basic concepts necessary for understanding the functioning of public opinion in general and managing it in particular.
Public opinion is a set of mass consciousness that embodies the attitude of certain social groups to a particular object or event, directly or indirectly affecting their well-being and needs. The most acute public opinion affects the political and social sphere of the state.
Public opinion management, in turn, is the use by interested groups of people of a set of methods and techniques to purposefully influence the formation and direction of public attitudes towards certain objects or events, in order to derive benefits [1].
Goals of public opinion management
The management of public opinion always has an explicit or implicit goal which seeks to reach the government or interested groups of people.
— Socialization
The process of introducing individuals into society with the subsequent formation of their socio-political literacy and responsibility.
— Education
Creating an environment that has a beneficial effect on the socio-political culture of the individual, as well as for a better understanding of the process of interaction between the authorities and the population.
— Motivation
The process of directing the activity of society in the direction necessary for the government and the country.
— Manipulation
The formation of ideas among the population about a particular object or event that does not coincide with reality and carries selfish goals [2].
Public opinion management tools
One of the most effective tools for managing public opinion can rightfully be considered the media. With the development of globalization, its influence has only increased. Thanks to the media, the border between the government and the population was gradually erased, and social relations no longer locked within one country began to have an international character. Due to the availability of mass media, the use of methods for managing public opinion has become much more efficient and easier.
It is also worth mentioning the PR as a tool for influencing the population. PR in state bodies is designed to contribute to the formation of a benevolent and positive perception of both the activities of the state and its image as a whole, trust and readiness for support. An important feature of PR in public authorities is the maximum breadth of their target audience. This creates a unique dilemma that is unique to government agencies. On the one hand, it is often necessary to highlight one informational occasion for the widest possible target audience, throughout the country; on the other hand, to make information about it accessible and attractive to target audience segments with completely different characteristics.
This explains the widest possible range of tools and communication channels used by departments of state bodies engaged in PR activities. It should be noted that public relations and relevant departments are present today in the structures of all branches of government: legislative, executive, judicial, and at all its levels: federal, regional and municipal. PR activities of public authorities have two goals:
— formation and implementation of information policy;
— formation and implementation of image policy [3].
Methods of forming public opinion
One of the most effective methods of managing public opinion can be considered reputation management. It implies the formation of a positive image for a representative of political power, organization and other things. Thanks to it, a strong trusting relationship is built with the population and the possibility of the emergence of crises of confidence is reduced due to the competent management of public opinion.
Also, among the effective methods of interaction with public opinion is political marketing, which is a form of modern struggle for voters during political campaigns.
Another method often used when working with public opinion is propaganda. Propaganda basically carries the process of disseminating facts, information and any other information, including false, which will directly affect the population and work into the hands of the government. Often, the effective work of propaganda means a low level of socio-political development and self-awareness of society. The inclination of propaganda to create an image of the ultimate truth is nothing more than an instrument of totalitarian control over public opinion. Using proven psychological methods, propaganda causes most people to lose their individuality and drown out the ability to think critically, relying more on impulses and emotions. Also, the cornerstone of propaganda is the creation of the image of the worst enemy of the state, hatred for which should be an attribute of every citizen of this society [4].
Conclusion
Summing up all of the above, it is worth noting that the importance of such a phenomenon as public opinion management can hardly be overestimated. Thanks to him, at certain moments in history, the policies of states were formed, the social system completely changed, and radical changes occurred in society. In skillful hands, such a tool can lead to both impressive results and lead to dire consequences. For this reason, understanding the basis and mechanism of this is vital when it comes to the socio-political life of society.
References:
- Public Opinion Management Methods 2021 [Electronic resource]. — https://spravochnick.ru/gosudarstvennoe_i_municipalnoe_upravlenie/metody_upravleniya_obschestvennym_mneniem_i_gosudarstvennaya_politika/ (date of the application 02.07.2022)
- Public opinion management technologies 2019 [Electronic resource]. — https://studme.org/133754/marketing/tehnologii_upravleniya_obschestvennym_mneniem (date of the application 03.07.2022)
- Kirsanova N. P., Gonashvili A. S., Public opinion management technologies // UNIVERSITY under the INTER-PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY of the EurAsEC, Schoolbook. St. Petersburg, 2021. p. 32–43.
- Franz V. A., Public opinion management // URAL FEDERAL UNIVERSITY NAMED AFTER THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA B. N. YELTSIN, Schoolbook. Yekaterinburg, 2017. p. 88–116.
