Two step flow theory
What is it and how does it work?
It shows that the media itself isn’t very powerful in influencing people and it argues that
people are more influenced by people that they know and see on a daily basis and it
suggests that personal influence shapes people’s attitudes. However, one group of people
are singled out and show that they have a particular influence who are referred to as
‘opinion leaders’. These are those whose views and ideas are respected and seen as
being important. The ‘opinion leaders’ absorbed information from the media and passed it
on to the less active population. The ‘opinion leaders’ have strong political beliefs so they
pay closer attention to the media. These leaders aren’t necessarily rich or powerful as they
can be from any background.
Theorists involved.
It was first introduced by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet in The
People’s Choice.
This theory can be seen with elections, TV, Radio and Magazines. A good example of this
theory in a film would be Mean Girls.
Developments of the theory
A study in 1944 focused on the process of decision making during a Presidential election
campaign. The researchers expected to find that the direct influence of media messages
on voting intentions. However, they discovered that informal personal contacts were more
prominent than the exposure to radio or newspapers as sources of influence on voting
behavior.
Oppositional arguments
This is opposite to the hypodermic needle theory where the audience are described as
being ‘passive’ it suggests that the audience are affected to what they consume which
contrasts two step theory. It helps to explain why certain media campaigns may have failed
to alter audience attitudes.
This theory has improved the understanding of how the mass media influence decision
making. This theory was discredited by the multi-step flow theory of mass communication
or diffusion of innovation theory. Diffusion of innovation theory predicts that media as well
as interpersonal contacts provide information and influence opinion and judgment. E.M.
Rogers (1995) argued that it consists of four stages: invention, diffusion (or
communication) through the social system, time and consequences. The information flows
through networks. The nature of networks and the roles opinion leaders play in them
determine the likelihood that the innovation will be adopted. Innovation diffusion research
has attempted to explain the variables that influence how and why users adopt a new
information medium, such as the Internet. Opinion leaders exert influence on audience
behavior via their personal contact, but additional intermediaries called change agents and
gatekeepers are also included in the process of diffusion.
