The Opinion Seeker and Avoider: Steps beyond the Opinion Leader Concept

Wright, Charles R.; Cantor, Muriel

doi:10.2307/1388626

Cited by 18 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In line with this observation, Troldahl and Van Dam (1966) thus have proposed the concept of "opinion-sharing" to explain their finding that frequent conversations are more prevalent among opinion leaders themselves than between opinion leaders and the less active followers, the link emphasized in presentations of the two-step flow hypothesis. A similar idea has been advanced by Wright and Cantor (1967).…”

Section: Two Step-flow Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…One other important piece of evidence supporting the opinion-sharing notion was that the majority of opinion-giving and opinion-receiving attempts were reported between people of equal rather than higher or lower political attentiveness. Wright and Cantor (1967) also found 68 percent of their opinion leaders relying on conversations with others for information.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interpersonal Influence in Election Campaigns: Two Step-Flow Hypotheses

Robinson

1976

Public Opinion Quarterly

191

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HE original formulation of the two-step flow hypothesis by Lazarsfeld et al. (1948) may have been the most influential and durable product of their classic study. Not only did the formulation redirect the field of mass communications research; its emphasis on the power of primary groups, and informal, interpersonal, and gemeinschaft-\ike ties introduced an empirically based and powerful alternative to theories of mass society which viewed an atomized population as politically manipulated by the mass media (DeFleur, 1970;Kornhauser, 1953).This article examines the two-step flow hypothesis in the context of voting behavior in a recent national election, the behavior the original hypothesis attempted to explain. It attempts to review the several criticisms of this statement of the relation between the mass media and social networks that was formed in an era before more advanced political media systems (particularly television) became available and before a more educated and media-dependent public had emerged. 1 1 For example, Lazarsfeld et al. (1948) reported a greater prevalence of interpersonal discussions than mass media usage during a typical day in the 1940 presidential campaign. In a survey conducted during the last weeks of the 1972 campaign, Richard Hofstetter (personal communication) found 18 percent of a national sample of over 1,000 adults had talked with Abstract Research subsequent to the classic statement of a two-step flow-of-influence hypothesis has isolated a number of inaccuracies in the hypothesis as originally formulated. Analysis of a question series on interpersonal influence, included in the 1968 national election study of the Center for Political Studies, reveals further difficulties with the hypothesis. These analyses further suggest the existence of two distinct patterns of mass media and interpersonal influence at work in separate segments of the electorate. One process operates solely through interpersonal channels, in which the mass media's role is unclear. The second proceeds directly through exposure to the mass media, particularly newspapers. Some ways in which the study results are consistent with the original hypothesis are discussed.John P. Robinson is Professor of Communication and Director of the

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Section: Two Step-flow Hypothesesmentioning

confidence: 70%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interpersonal Influence in Election Campaigns: Two Step-Flow Hypotheses

Robinson

1976

Public Opinion Quarterly

191

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“…In parallel, scholars have observed that some individuals actively seek opinions from more knowledgeable consumers about products or services (Arndt, 1967(Arndt, , 1968Feldman, 1966;Sheth, 1968;Sohn, 2005;Wright & Cantor, 1967). Moreover, Engledow, Thorelli, and Becker (1975) first suggested that opinion leaders may also be information seekers and identified 42 percent of their sample as opinion seekers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opinion leaders and followers: A replication and extension

Shoham

Ruvio

2008

Psychology and Marketing

111

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Opinion leadership has been a central construct in studies of new product diffusion models. Flynn, Goldsmith, and Eastman (1996) introduced the related concept of opinion seeking and documented its measurement properties. This replication and extension paper examines these two concepts, using their original scales and placing them in a nomological model that includes innovativeness and computer and software use as antecedents. The research model is tested empirically using a convenience sample of 123 Israeli consumers, with regression models and a multiple discriminant analysis. Innovativeness and computer usage were found to explain opinion leadership and opinion seeking. Opinion leadership and opinion seeking predicted several computer-related outcomes.The findings can be used to identify and utilize the differing information search profiles for opinion leaders and seekers. The former use a variety of sources, such as store visits and category-specific newspapers and magazines. In contrast, seekers rely more on expert advice from opinion leaders.

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“…While early sociological studies of personal influence utilized a conception of opinion leadership as a relatively stable role that different persons filled for particular topics, several later studies viewed opinion leadership as an activity frequently involving both opinion-giving and opinion-seeking, essentially an opinion-sharing process among interested persons actively engaging in both mass and interpersonal communication on various topics (Trodahl & Van Dam 1965;Wright & Cantor 1967). In a secondary analysis of a national voting survey, J. found opinion-giving and opinion-receiving to be highly intercorrelated.…”

Section: Opinion Leadership Interpersonal Influence and Diffusion Omentioning

confidence: 99%

The sociology of mass communications

1970

Current Sociology

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The Opinion Seeker and Avoider: Steps beyond the Opinion Leader Concept

Cited by 18 publications

References 8 publications

Interpersonal Influence in Election Campaigns: Two Step-Flow Hypotheses

Interpersonal Influence in Election Campaigns: Two Step-Flow Hypotheses

Opinion leaders and followers: A replication and extension

The sociology of mass communications

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