Two Step Flow Theory

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Two Step Flow Theory

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History:
In 1944 Paul Lazarsfeld, (1901-1976) an American Social Researcher, Bernard Berelson (1912 –
1979) and Hazel Gaudet was introduced The Two-Step Flow of Communication in the book
called “The people’s choice: How the voter makes up his mind in a presidential campaign. New
York: Columbia University Press”.
Theory Introduction:
The purpose of the study was focused on Presidential election Campaign and the people
decision-making process towards the campaign. All three researchers were wanted to find out
practically whether the mass media messages affect direct influence in voting decision among the
people. Unexpectedly they found the media messages (like radio and newspapers) are very less
influence then an informal, personal communication on voting behavior. Based on this
researched data, The Two Step Flow Communication Theory of Mass Communication was
developed by Katz and Paul Lazarsfeld.
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Opinion Leader:
Opinion Leader is a leader for a certain group who gives details and information to lesser active
persons in the group. In office, the managing director is an opinion leader and in public, a
political leader is an opinion leader. They interpret the information to their own group. But one
thing the Opinion leader is a leader only for their own group not for all.
In Public, Political leader is an opinion leader. Here few people are not influenced by the leader
and their political views and thought. These people won’t support opinion leaders and isolated
from the population.
Katz and Paul seems “the flow of media messages from radio and print to opinion leaders and
then the leaders leads the messages to lesser active users in the population”. Through this
transformation of message, the leaders may add their opinion on the actual content which may
affects the low active users. In some cases the Opinion leaders are filtering the actual content
ensures the information is needed by the people. Mostly the opinion leaders are selective and
they pass the messages to the group. (Low-end media users: Poor, Worker and People who are
not affordable for getting information directly).
Note: The Opinion leaders have enough voice only in structured social groups not in an isolated
individual in the population.
Example:
Carol watching News in ANB Channel they flash the headlines with “Research reveals some toys
Ok
are leads the children’s aggressive and Violent”. That day Carol calls her little son and went for
shopping and carol warn her son some toys are not good and made skin allergy which leads her
son to avoid those toys.
Opinion leader: Mom

Audience: Her Son
Added information in actual content: Skin Allergy
Critics:
-Researchers found substantial evidence that initial mass media information flows directly to
people on the whole and is not relayed by opinion leaders.
-The two-step hypothesis does not adequately describe the flow of learning. Lazarsfeld and his
associates in the 1940 election study were unable to determine the specific flow of influence.
– Today most of the advertising researches are based on this theory. Especially opinion leaders
role in the society as well as in home to which helps to improve the market with less efforts.
 122   
{ 38 comments… add one }
Annika Larson
July 25, 2012, 1:55 pm
This has some random capitalization
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M Amin Mashal
April 25, 2013, 11:51 am
its outstanding article and too easy but if will be more better if more in detail any how i
understand the theory which will help me in the exam . and the more i shall search . Thank You
sir assume that you are happy with it.
Ok
LINK
bhagyashree
May 26, 2013, 10:14 am
It is really very good and helpful…,
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neel tonmoy
August 1, 2013, 3:42 am
very easy to understand…most reliable answer
thanks to help.
LINK
Thandokazi Ngemntu
October 25, 2013, 2:09 pm
Please summrise the concept of this theory,advantages and disadvantages and examples
LINK
ogunfuyi ololade
January 8, 2014, 5:05 pm
It is helpful and easy to understand, thanks.
LINK
Maliha
April 21, 2014, 1:46 pm
very easy for capture.
LINK
Ok
unabatsho peter
May 21, 2014, 1:51 pm
nice one simple and i get the idea it will help me by the way i know people who are opinions
leader even when its not applicable
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Hridwan Rizvi
November 1, 2014, 8:21 am
It was a helpful article.
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moses njuguna
November 1, 2014, 3:23 pm
i like this article, its simple to understand.
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sameer
December 4, 2014, 8:10 pm
please give a simplified version of two step theory as that will help me in my exams
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SHAMIMA AHASANA
January 16, 2015, 4:31 pm
its good.but i think its not enough for exams…
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Scovian Lilian
February 10, 2015, 3:11 pm assume that you are happy with it.
Ok
Kindly please add up advantages and disadvantages but the theory is well and easily
simplified.Kudos
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philip mboya
March 26, 2015, 1:45 pm
good job.am good to go
LINK
tm the great
April 17, 2015, 11:41 pm
well explained stuff
LINK
jatin guta
November 19, 2015, 9:48 pm
you are magnificent
LINK
Ehsanullah
March 12, 2016, 8:26 pm
Supportive note for students
LINK
Sakala d
April 2, 2016, 3:21 am
Thanks ,a useful simplified text assume that you are happy with it.
Ok
LINK
E frank T
July 5, 2016, 5:59 am
Well simplified and easy to understand but pls the advantages and disadvantages
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Bonath Nov
August 18, 2016, 8:51 am
it is very useful for me, great thank for writer
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Ranita Sarkar
September 17, 2016, 4:31 pm
its a very useful.. thks a lot
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Frederick LGS
October 12, 2016, 8:17 pm
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luck and the miracle of google, I found your site and rediscover this theory name. I must say,
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overson mtembenuzeni
November 5, 2016, 5:30 am
Thanks you. You

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Ok
Ranjan kumar
April 5, 2017, 2:40 pm
Very simple and very easy to understand..
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Abinash Azad
November 2, 2017, 12:56 am
One of good ethic point has been mentioned here with suitable examples which not only helps a
communication scholar but also in an informative perception it creates nice view of study.
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Kamran
June 28, 2018, 1:27 pm
Really was helpful in understanding the theory
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Mohamed Sahr
April 8, 2019, 6:44 pm
A super outstanding concept and very easy to comprehend hereon.
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Mohamed Sahr
April 8, 2019, 6:45 pm
A super outstanding theory and it’s very easy to comprehend.
LINK
Mudasser Ahmad Tahir Ok

April 28, 2019, 9:01 pm
This is very easy and easy to understand. Thank you giving clearly concept about Two Step Flow
Theory.
LINK
wilfred
May 18, 2019, 11:49 pm
thank you for assistance
LINK
kiptoo
June 4, 2019, 5:09 pm
nice explanation
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Enoch Hosea
June 28, 2019, 3:27 am
thank for this work I love it I now assimilate how some leader are very simple I enjoy it
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Vishal
October 3, 2019, 11:21 am
Its very good and easy content.
LINK
Ansar Ahmad
December 21, 2019, 11:42 am
The article is purely based on research which
assume is too
that you are effective
happy withfor
it. the students of Journalism and
Mass Communication to studied and get maximum

Ok marks in exam.
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Zaheer Hassan Panhwar

August 23, 2020, 10:59 am
Very useful knowledge
LINK
MAN
October 4, 2020, 2:57 am
This is good, me personally can understand this theory easily.
LINK
KURAYE KATSINA
February 12, 2021, 12:56 am
Good article, but need more so that we can we write during exam
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TIMOTHY NSUBUGA
April 28, 2021, 12:27 am
THE SITE WAS HELP FULL AND ELLABORATE ABOUT THE TWO STEP FLOW THEORY
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Two Step Flow Theory

Opinion leader: Mom

{ 38 comments… add one }

This has some random capitalization

It is really very good and helpful…,

very easy to understand…most reliable answer

It is helpful and easy to understand, thanks.

very easy for capture.

It was a helpful article.

i like this article, its simple to understand.

its good.but i think its not enough for exams…

good job.am good to go

well explained stuff

you are magnificent

Supportive note for students

it is very useful for me, great thank for writer

its a very useful.. thks a lot

Thanks you. You

Very simple and very easy to understand..

Really was helpful in understanding the theory

A super outstanding concept and very easy to comprehend hereon.

A super outstanding theory and it’s very easy to comprehend.

Mudasser Ahmad Tahir Ok

thank you for assistance

Its very good and easy content.

Mass Communication to studied and get maximum

Zaheer Hassan Panhwar

Very useful knowledge

This is good, me personally can understand this theory easily.

Next post: De Fleur Model of Communication

Psychology, Behavioral And Social Science

How to become a good

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