Two step flow theory

The named theory “ Two step flow theory ” was developed by Paul Lazarsfeld (with Elihu Katz) after the second world war, in the United States, in its book The people' S choice (1944).

It is about an analysis of the influence of the media, here particularly within the framework of the presidential elections.

The theory

According to P. Lazarsfeld, the individuals are not very permeable with the messages of the media, at least in a direct way. Indeed, the voters, mainly, choose to vote for a candidate given according to their entourage. Among their close relations, some are more influential: it is of the “ leaders of opinion ”. However, those have like characteristic to be with the listening of the media and to define their political position according to the messages which they diffuse.

the influence of the media on the whole of the population is thus done in two times :

initially the message delivered by the media, or media in particular, is received and more or less assimilated by a leader of opinion,
then, this one made share its choice of vote to the people whom he knows.

This theory puts, consequently, a strong limit with a vertical influence exerted by dominant classes on the whole of the company.

Applications

During certain presidential campaigns (with dvper)

References

Lazarsfeld, P.F., Berelson, B. & Gaudet, H. (1944). The people' S choice: How to vote makes up his mind in has presidential campaign . New York: Columbia University Near.
Katz, E., & Lazarsfeld, P. (1955), Personal Influences , New York: The Free Near.
Katz, Elihu (1973). The two-step flow off communication: year up-to-date carryforward off year hypothesis . In Enis and Cox (eds.), Classics Marketing, p175-193.
Weimann, Gabriel. (1994). “Does Is there have two-step flow off Setting Diary? ”, International Newspaper off Public Opinion , v6, n4, p323.
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Walsh, Gianfranco (1999): “Der Market Maven in Deutschland: Ein Diffusionsagent für Marketinginformationen”, in: Jahrbuch der Absatz- und Verbrauchsforschung , 45. Jg. (4), S. 418-434.
Rogers, Everett Mr., Diffusion off Innovation , Free Near, New York, 1962
Michel Grumbach and Nicolas Herpin, “In connection with some work of Lazarsfeld and its school, Media, leadership and interaction: a sociology of the invisible capacities”, Investigation , Varied, 1988

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