ABSTRACT
A public meeting is a gathering that is open to all, where officials present information to anyone who attends and attendees offer comment. Public meetings include hearings, availability sessions, and informal meetings, including neighbourhood associations, school boards, and zoning boards, and feature government officials at all levels. Since before the American Revolution, public meetings have been a part of the American democratic experiment. Contemporary theories and findings from social psychology, in social influence, persuasion, and accountability, help explain how officials and the public persuade each other and produce public policy. The role of technology, including electronic town halls, expands the possibilities and challenges and has the potential to welcome a broader public to meet with officials.
