Opinion leadership
As opinion leaders (English opinion leaders ) refers to people in relation to a particular matter of public interest (English issue) the highest degree of interestedness show, and most often invited to respond. This is indicated by community studies indicate as well as the everyday experience.
Conceptual history
The term was introduced by the 1944 published in "The People's Choice " panel study of Paul Felix Lazarsfeld and other scientists on the U.S. presidential election in 1940. For this purpose a two-step model of communication was developed. The Lazarsfeld study determined the appropriate opinion leaders by was asked, to which the people sought after person would turn for advice on a specific question.
As opinion leaders also those media users are referred to, pass on the information from the media to the people from their social environment, use less the media.
Opinion leadership is a part of everyday human relationships. Opinion leaders can have a relatively large influence on the decisions of their fellow men. They exist in all occupational groups and socioeconomic levels. Their main function is reflected in the role of mediator between the mass media and their social group. You will be asked by group members for their opinion, give advice and information. Opinion leaders are generally sociable people who maintain many social contacts. There are different types of opinion leaders:
- Polymorphic Opinion leaders: opinion leaders can act in a variety of fields as an influence decision-making person.
- Monomorphic opinion leaders: The impact of opinion leader focuses on a specific area ( eg, fashion, politics ).
- Local opinion leaders: opinion leaders who focus their interest on the narrower area of the municipality.
- Cosmopolitan opinion leader: opinion leaders who focus their interest on more events at national and international level.
Today, the two-step flow plays in media impact, a smaller role than in the 1960s because the media have become almost ubiquitous and reach the most people directly. On the other hand, the opinion leader concept has undergone numerous extensions and modifications since its development by Lazarsfeld and his colleagues. Thus, the role of opinion leaders in interpersonal networks and in social psychology has been studied strengthened. Even in the choice of research and election forecasts the opinion leader concept is being used. There are also parallels, for example, the early adopters of persuasion and the avant -garde, which play an important role in the theory of the spiral of silence.
The model should have been used by U.S. President Barack Obama in the 2008 election campaign.