In 1948, Paul Lazarsfield, Bernard Barelson & Hazel Gaudet formulated the Two-Step Flow Theory after the 1940 U.S. presidential election. The authors of this theory stated that opinion leaders pick and choose information from the media and this information is interpreted in their own opinion to the mass audience. They concluded with
further research
that word-of-mouth transmission of information plays an important role in the communication process and that mass media have only a limited influence on most individuals.
This theory went on to explain that communication within a person’s associations has an influence on decision-making and behavior more than information that is given directly from mass media.
Trustworthy Source
In my family we have a multi-generational group chat that has become the most active ever over this last year. We discuss upcoming family gatherings, local and world news, and other various topics. I have found this group thread to be my morning cup of information and I tend to forward the relevant podcasts and other newsworthy info on to other like-minded friends that are not on this chat. After reflecting on the Two-Step Flow Theory and understanding how the masses share information from trusted sources rather than directly from the Media, I have found that I am engaging in this theory daily. I do find most of the information on this chat to be entertaining and informative, but I also never really considered the sources and are they even legit. Recently I decided to research trustworthy news sources and the internet gave me pages of news networks that are considered the top echelon of mass media. After looking through the lists that the internet recommended, I started to think, is the internet even a trusted source?
Social Influencers & Opinion Leaders
The term social influencer is now considered the modern-day opinion leader. People look to influencers for a directive on what to think, how to dress, and sometimes how to speak. During the era of the Two-Step Flow Theory, the authors of the study considered opinion leaders to be journalists, academics, and industry experts. Times have changed a lot since the 1940s and everything has gone digital, which assists in the spread of information worldwide and within minutes. Most social influencers do not hold advanced degrees in whatever topic or product they are promoting (this is usually a paid promotion) but the people who follow them have pledged their allegiance to whatever it is they say. The Two-Step Flow Theory evolved slowly over time into the digital era and will most likely continue to evolve as our communication methods change.
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