Ethical Considerations of Public Relations Practitioners: An Empirical Analysis of the TARES Test

Abstract

This study conducted the first empirical testing of Baker and Martinson's (2001) TARES test of ethical consideration factors for public relations practitioners. The TARES test is composed of 5 interconnected parts: truthfulness of the message, authenticity of the persuader, respect for the persuadee, equity of the appeal, and social responsibility for the common good. Results of an online exploratory survey indicate that the TARES test is better suited for a 3-factor configuration based on Day's (2003) definition of moral knowledge and that ethical consideration levels differ based on age, education, gender, and political ideology.