The two-step flow

Media influence
theory
How did it come about?

Recognising the problems with earlier studies (e.g. the

hypodermic needle theory), Paul Lazarsfeld developed
the two-step flow approach in the 1940s.

Their theory maintains that the media has some effect but
gives greater emphasis to audience intelligence than the
hypodermic needle approach.
Initial evidence

Lazarfeld wrote a study in 1944 about the 1940

Presidential election called The Peoples Choice.

In his research, he concluded that people are more likely

to be influenced by their peers than by the media.

Only 5% of people sampled changed their voting

because of the media messages; messages are
mediated through our social relationships.
How does the theory work?

The theory proposes that media effects work in two

distinct stages:

First, opinion leaders absorb the media message and

adapt it to their own beliefs and values.

Then, in the second stage, these opinion leaders pass

on the slightly altered message to others.
According to the hypodermic needle theory

Mass media Message Audience

According to the two-step flow theory

Audience

Opinion Audience
Mass media Message
leader

Audience
 Audience

Opinion Audience
Mass media Message
leader

Audience
 Audience

Opinion Audience
Mass media Message
leader

Audience
 Audience

Opinion Audience
Mass media Message
leader

Audience
Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths Weaknesses

Acknowledges that audiences are More than two steps in the

part of a society which aects the communication process and flows
flow of information both ways
Some contemporary research

A couple of readings on Moodle:

Who says what to whom on Twitter?

Two-step flow and climate change