Core Ethical Principles

Lesson 1 Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

Define the concept of ethical public relations literacy.
Identify the four ethical orientations common to public relations practice.
Describe the role of values in ethics.
Explain the advantages/disadvantages of the four ethical orientations in public relations practice.

Key Concepts

Axiology
Categorical imperative
Deontology
Ethical public relations literacy
Golden Mean
Higher and lower pleasures
Instrumental values
Situational ethics
Subjectivism
Teleology
Terminal values
Utilitarianism
Values
Virtue ethics

Lesson 2 Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives

As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

Define the stages or moral obligations of ethical development.
Identify the four models of public relations.
Describe the ethical orientations associated with each model of public relations.
Explain the ethical development of public relations using the four models of public relations.
Assess the ethical development of public relations messages.
Apply the five pillars of public relations to a public relations situation.

Key Concepts

Axiology
Categorical imperative
Deontology
Golden Rule
Moral obligations
Mutuality value system
Partisan value system
Pillars of ethical public relations
Press agentry model
Professional ethic principle
Public information model
TARES
Teleology
Test of sincerity
Theory of ethical discourse
TV test
Two-way asymmetrical model
Two-way symmetrical model
Utilitarianism

Resources

Module Overview

Lesson 1

Public relations practitioners are encouraged to integrate ethics into the practice of public relations, but before that can be accomplished, practitioners need to develop an ethical public relations literacy. Public relations ethical literacy allows professionals to identify personal values as well as the values of others, understand the ethical orientations that shape our perspectives, critically analyze the appropriate ethical frameworks, apply the ethical principles, and evaluate the ethical decision. This lesson considers the initial steps for ethical literacy: identifying ethical viewpoints and understanding the ethical orientations.

Ethical public relations literacy begins with an understanding of the values that guide our decisions. These values determine how an individual judges ethical behavior; yet, many students have never considered the values that guide their action. This lesson then considers four ethical orientations or principles commonly used to guide ethical decision making: axiology, deontology, teleology, and situational ethics. Students will gain an understanding of these orientations and their influence on public relations practice. The lesson concludes with the realization that public relations professionals understand ethical situations differently. As a result, there is a great need for ethical public relations literacy to help professionals not only understand their own ethical orientations, but the ethical orientations of others.

Lesson 2

The public relations profession has always faltered in its perception as an ethical profession. This failure is partially due to a misunderstanding of public relations. Many confuse the profession with advertising or have a narrow view of public relations activities. Nevertheless, public relations must address its perceived ethical deficiency. The key is to develop heightened ethical literacy among public relations professionals so that they recognize and understand the ethical principles that guide public relations practice. Lesson one introduced the values and ethical orientations that form the foundation of ethical literacy. This lesson assesses the connection between the ethical principles and public relations practice.

Grunig and Hunt’s four models of public relations represent the growing sophistication of public relations practice. They also illustrate the ethical development of public relations. In this lesson, students will learn the four models of public relations and the ethical principles that guide their practice. They will recognize that the progression of the models also represents the ethical development of public relations. The lesson concludes with the five ethical pillars of public relations to help students enhance their ethical literacy skills in the assessment of ethical considerations in public relations practice.

Citations & Resources

Lesson 1 References

citytransportinfo. (2014, February 6). The famous London “Mind the Gap” message [Video
file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOPyGKDQuRk)

Corbett, G. (2012, June 18). Closing the ethical gap featured on PRsay [Blog post]. Retrieved
from https://prsay.prsa.org/2012/06/18/closing-the-ethics-gap-2/

PRINZ conference program. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.prinz.org

Holmes Report. (2015, September 13). Public concerned with ethics gap, executive
trustworthiness. Retrieved from http://www.holmesreport.com/research/article/public-concerned-with-ethics-gap-executive-trustworthiness

Davidson, G. & Morrissey, S. (2010). Enhancing ethical literacy of psychologically literate
citizens. Retrieved from http://icope2010.psy.unsw.edu.au/program/Davidson%20Morrissey.pdf

Smudde, P. (2015). Managing public relations: Methods and tools. New York: Oxford
University Press.

Parsons, P.J. (2008). Ethics in public relations: A guide to best practice, 2nd ed. London: Kogan
Page.

Personal values assessment. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.valuescentre.com/our-
products/products-individuals/personal-values-assessment-pva

Axiology. (2009, February 4). Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com

Aristotle (n.d.) Retrieved from http://ethicsinpr.wikispaces.com/Aristotle

Example of Aristotle’s Golden Mean. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://users.ipfw.edu/caseldij/Ethics/Golden%20Mean.pdf

Bivins, T. (2004) Mixed Media: Moral distinctions in advertising, public relations and journalism. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence, Erlbaum, p. 100.

The Declaration of Independence. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/

Gower, K. (2003). Legal and ethical restraints on public relations. Long Grove, Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc.

Spider-Man (2002). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_(2002_film)

Wright, K. (1994) Examining ethical and moral values of public relations people, Public Relations Review, 20, 225-231.

Lesson 1 Additional Resources

Bivins, T. (2004) Mixed Media: Moral distinctions in advertising, public relations and
journalism. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence, Erlbaum.

Fitzpatrick, K. & Bronstein, C. (2006). Ethics in public relations: Responsible advocacy. Thousand
Oaks: Sage Publications.

Gower, K. (2003). Legal and ethical restraints on public relations. Long Grove, Illinois:
Waveland Press, Inc.

Parsons, P.J. (2008). Ethics in public relations: A guide to best practice, 2nd ed. London: Kogan
Page.

Smudde, P. (2015). Managing public relations: Methods and tools. New York: Oxford
University Press.

Tilley, E. (2005/2009). The ethics pyramid: Making ethics unavoidable in the public relations
process. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 20(4), 305-320.

Wright, K. (1994) Examining ethical and moral values of public relations people, Public
Relations Review, 20, 225-231.

Lesson 1 Case Study References

Satel, S. (2016, July 24). Book review: “Zika: The emerging epidemic. The Denver Post. Retrieved from
http://www.denverpost.com

McNeil, D.G. (2016). Zika: The emerging epidemic. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, p. 141.

Garrett, L. (2016, July 28). Review: ‘Zika” tracks the trajectory of an epidemic. The New York Times.
Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Lesson 2 References

Saad, L. (2015, December 21). Americans’ faith in honesty, ethics of police rebounds. Retrieved from
http://www.gallup.com/poll/187874/americans-faith-honesty-ethics-police-rebounds.aspx?g_source=Social%20Issues&g_medium=newsfeed&g_campaign=tiles

Parsons, P.J. (2008). Ethics in public relations: A guide to best practice, 2nd ed. London: Kogan
Page.

Bivins, T.H. (1992). A systematic model for ethical decision making. Public Relations Review,
18, 365-383.

Grunig, J.E. & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing public relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Lorenzetti, I. (2015, September 21). Here’s why Turing Pharmaceuticals says 5,000% price
bump is necessary. Retrieved from https://fortune.com

Laczniak, G.R. & Murphy, P.E. (1991). Fostering ethical marketing decisions. Journal of
Business Ethics, 10(4), 259-271.

Roose, K. (2015, September 22). The CEO who raised a cancer drug’s price by 5,000% is firing
back at his haters on Twitter. Retrieved from http://fusion.net

Curtin, P.A. & Boynton, L.A. (2001). Ethics in public relations: Theory and practice. In R.L.
Heath (Ed.), Handbook of Public Relations (pp. 411-422). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

PRSA Member Code of Ethics. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/Ethics/CodeEnglish/index.html?seMobiPref=true

Baker, S. (2004). Five baselines for justiﬁcation in persuasion, Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 14(2), 69-
81.

Leeper, R.V. (1996). Moral objectivity: Jurgen Habermas’ discourse ethics and public
relations, Public Relations Review, 22, 133-156.

Pearson, R. (1989). Beyond ethical relativism in public relations coorientation rules and the
idea of community symmetry. In J.E. Grunig and L.A. Grunig (Eds.), Public Relations Research Annual, Vol. 1. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Sullivan, A.J. (1965). Values in public relations. In O. Lerbinger and A. Sullivan (Eds.), Information,
Influence and Communication: A Reader in Public Relations (pp. 412-439). New York: Basic Books.

Pearson, A.J. (1989). Albert J. Sullivan’s theory of public relations ethics, Public Relations Review, 15, 53-62.

Baker, S. & Martinson, D.L. (2001). The TARES test: Five principles for ethical persuasion. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 16(2/3), 148-175.

Gower, K. (2008). Legal and ethical restraints on public relations, 2nd ed. Long Grove, Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc.

Lesson 2 Additional Resources

Baker, S. & Martinson, D.L. (2001). The TARES test: Five principles for ethical persuasion.
Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 16(2/3), 148-175.

Baker, S. (2004). Five baselines for justiﬁcation in persuasion, Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 14(2), 69-
81.

Bivins, T.H. (1992). A systematic model for ethical decision making. Public Relations Review,
18, 365-383.

Curtin, P.A. & Boynton, L.A. (2001). Ethics in public relations: Theory and practice. In R.L.
Heath (Ed.), Handbook of Public Relations (pp. 411-422). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Fitzpatrick, K. & Bronstein, C. (2006). Ethics in public relations: Responsible advocacy. Thousand
Oaks: Sage Publications.

Gower, K. (2008). Legal and ethical restraints on public relations, 2nd ed. Long Grove, Illinois: Waveland
Press, Inc.

Grunig, J.E. & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing public relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Laczniak, G.R. & Murphy, P.E. (1991). Fostering ethical marketing decisions. Journal of
Business Ethics, 10(4), 259-271.

Leeper, R.V. (1996). Moral objectivity: Jurgen Habermas’ discourse ethics and public
relations, Public Relations Review, 22, 133-156.

Parsons, P.J. (2008). Ethics in public relations: A guide to best practice, 2nd ed. London: Kogan
Page.

Pearson, A.J. (1989). Albert J. Sullivan’s theory of public relations ethics, Public Relations Review, 15, 53-62.

Smudde, P. (2015). Managing public relations: Methods and tools. New York: Oxford
University Press.

Sullivan, A.J. (1965). Values in public relations. In O. Lerbinger and A. Sullivan (Eds.), Information,
Influence and Communication: A Reader in Public Relations (pp. 412-439). New York: Basic Books.

Lesson 2 Case Study References

Hersher, R. (2016, October 13). Wonder Woman named honorary U.N. ambassador for gender
equality. Retrieved from https://knpr.org

Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/gender-equality/

ABC News. (2016, October 21). Wonder Woman named honorary UN ambassador, staffers
protest ‘sexualised cartoon character.’ Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au

Concerned United Nations Staff Members. (n.d.). Reconsider the choice of Wonder Woman as
the UN’s honorary ambassador for the empowerment of women and girls. Retrieved from http://www.thepetitionsite.com/741/288/432/reconsider-the-choice-of-honorary-ambassador-for-the-empowerment-of-women-and-girls/

Alexander, E. (2016, October 21). Wonder Woman named UN ambassador in controversial
move. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com

Williams, A. (2016, December 22). Lynda Carter deflects critics of Wonder Woman. Retrieved
from http://www.nytimes.com

Roberts, E. (2016, December 13). UN drops Wonder Woman as honorary ambassador.
Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/

Module Developer

Dr. Christie Kleinmann

Associate Professor, Belmont University

Dr. Christie Kleinmann, APR is an associate professor at Belmont University where she teaches courses in public relations, print/digital design, and sport communication as well as serves as the Belmont Bateman team advisor. Kleinmann has presented research at numerous regional, national, and international research conferences as well as been recognized for her research and mentorship activities. She was named a Page Legacy Scholar and a Page Legacy Educator for her research and teaching initiatives in social responsibility by the Arthur W. Page Center and earned the Tennessee Communication Association’s outstanding undergraduate mentor award. Kleinmann has also received the 40 Under 40 and the 30 in their 30s awards for community leadership and service. Her professional background includes experience in health care and sport communication. She served as the director of marketing and communication at Frontier Health and as the media and community relations coordinator at Wellmont Health Systems in Northeast Tennessee. Previously, she also served as the baseball promotions coordinator for King University. Kleinmann’s research interests include public relations management, sport crisis, ethics and social responsibility, and historical memory

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