EN
The article attempts to determine similarities and differences between various forms of social communication with special attention given to public relations. The author refers to the concepts of such handbook writers as: K. Wojcik, S. Black, and W. Furman, who tried to identify characteristic features of public relations, marketing, advertising, and publicity (campaigning). Various forms of social communication are discussed in praxiological and ethical context. From this perspective, public relations play the crucial role nowadays, however technological revolutions and tough (fierce) competition on the free market may cause far reaching unification of methods and techniques of social communication.