Symmetry, contingency, complexity: Accommodating uncertainty in public relations theory

This article explores the potential of complexity theory as a unifying theo ry in public relations, where scholars have recently raised problems involv ing flux, uncertainty, adaptiveness, and loss of control. Complexity theory refers to the study of many individual actors who interact locally in an e ffort to adapt to their immediate situation, thereby forming large-scale pa tterns that affect an entire society, often unpredictably and uncontrollabl y. Five characteristics of complexity theory render it particularly useful to explore central questions in public relations, such as Fewer and accommodat ion, shifting perceptions and images, and problems with public relations mo dels' predictiveness. These five characteristics are adaptivity, nonlineari ty, coevolution, punctuated equilibrium, and self-organization. The article de scribes specific complexity-based methodologies and their potential for public relations studies, focusing on data- and agent-based modeling. Priscilla Murphy is associate dean for Research and Graduate Programs at th e School of Communications and Theater, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA .