How is "public opinion" defined?

The definition of "public opinion" as the collective attitudes and beliefs of individuals on certain issues captures the essence of how groups of people feel or think about specific topics. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints that are formed through personal experiences, social influences, and cultural contexts. Understanding public opinion is critical in fields like public relations, where it informs strategies for communication, campaign development, and community engagement.

Public opinion is not limited to the viewpoints of public officials, who might represent only a fragment of society's overall thoughts. While consumer preferences for specific brands and sentiments expressed in social media can certainly reflect aspects of public opinion, they do not encompass the full spectrum of collective beliefs on various societal issues. Therefore, the selected definition provides the most comprehensive understanding of public opinion in the context of societal trends and communications.