Social Construction of Reality Theory

The social construction of reality theory contends that reality is socially constructed and that the sociology of knowledge must scrutinize the manner in [Page 781]which this occurs. From this orientation, Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann described reality as “a quality appertaining to phenomena that we recognized as having a being independent of our own volition” and knowledge as “the certainty that phenomena are real and that they possess specific characteristics” (1967, p. 1). In essence, people conceive their own distinctive social reality through contact and interaction with others.

Building on the work of Alfred Schutz, Berger and Luckmann argued that the reasonableness of knowledge in everyday life presents itself as a reality interpreted by individuals and subjectively meaningful to them as a rational and coherent perspective.

For public relations scholars and practitioners, the social construction of reality theory raises questions about whether the differences between key stakeholders' realities may not be understood in relation to various differences between the two or more publics. Though not directly naming public relations, David R. Seibold and Brian H. Spitzberg argued that communication cannot be considered and realized without an appreciation for the interpretations communicators bring to symbolic discourse.

Language, as such, is the means by which people function on two levels: that of their individual thoughts, and the realization that others have similar meanings and interpretations. By concentrating on language and the subsequent symbolic meaning, public relations research can provide insight on relationships between words and issues, and between content and meaning, as well as by examining how interaction transpires regarding issues development.

Communication and public relations scholars examine the social construction of reality through the scrutiny of symbols and meaning within the substance of messages constructed and shared by organizations with key stakeholders. It is through these messages (symbols) that people create, manage, and share interpretations of reality through social interaction, which allows society to function by the sharing and giving of meaning to physical and social realities. Ultimately, this sharing provides a footing for cooperative behavior through social reality—the understanding each person has of what other people know.

A large amount of public relations research comes from the traditional theoretical position known as objectivism. This perspective operates on the assumption that awareness, knowledge, behavioral intentions, and behaviors are a given in nature, essentially uncontaminated by social factors.

On the other hand, a social constructionist orientation is a generally accepted and growing perspective in the field of public relations, arguing that public relations claims are subject to social interpretation and negotiation. From a rhetorical perspective to public relations, it is through dialogue that participants identify, create, and manage meaning by the rhetorical processes of statement and counterstatement. The study of public relations in this

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