Which of the five broad definitions of public opinion involves "rhetorical construction"?

Answer: Fiction

Explanation: According to some theorists, public opinion is a rhetorical construction. This means that it is a phantom, having no real link to "the public" as citizens. These theorists go on to claim that politicians and journalists tend to state that public opinion regarding a certain issue is concluded without any available evidence, or public's influence. However this is only one form of the definition of public opinion.

Other types of definitions include:

Public opinion is an aggregation: Journalists and politicians claim public opinion is the total of a lot of individual opinions.

Public opinion reflects the majority's beliefs: Theorists claim that public opinion is the equivalent of the values and beliefs of the majority.

Public opinion is discovered in groups clashing: Some theorists believe public opinion lies in power dynamics within a group, and how it coexists, or fails to do so, with other groups.

Public opinion reflects media: Theorists believe that public opinion is best gathered from what politicians, journalists and other influential elites believe.