Image and substance: From symbolic to behavioral relationships

Abstract

The preoccupation of many public relations practitioners with the concept of image suggests that public relations is concerned only with symbolism—with what the organization says about itself. A paradigm struggle is occurring in public relations, therefore, between practitioners who use only superficial symbolic activities—the quest for positive images—and those who build substantive behavioral relationships between organizations and publics. Communication of symbols alone does not make an organization more effective. Nevertheless, symbolic and behavioral relationships are “intertwined like the strands of a rope.” This article deconstructs the meaning of image as it is used in several fields of communication and psychology. It suggests that “image” disguises the more precise concepts of perception, cognition, attitude, and schema—concepts that identify symbolic objectives for public relations. Over the long term, however, organizations must evaluate the contribution of these objectives to the behavioral relationships with publics if they are to help organizations achieve their goals and missions.