ABSTRACT
The situational theory of publics is a highly regarded, well-tested theory that has been integrated into the Excellence Theory (Dozier, L. A. Grunig, & J. E. Grunig, 1995; J. E. Grunig, 1992; L. A. Grunig, J. E. Grunig, & Dozier, 2002). Credited by public relations scholars as being the first “deep theory” in public relations (cf. Zoch & Collins, 2002), the situational theory may also be one of the most useful theories for understanding why publics communicate and when they are most likely to do so. The theory was first developed in 1968 by James E. Grunig, who spent the following 3 decades testing the theory in various professional settings, ultimately refining and expanding it (J. E. Grunig, 1978, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992; J. E. Grunig & Hunt, 1984). J. E. Grunig (1997) offered a detailed and extensive overview of the history and development of the situational theory and a critique of the research that created variations of the variables and their relationships.
