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Two Step Flow of Communication Model With Example Situation

Learn about the Two-Step Flow of Communication Model or Theory of Mass Communication With an Example Situation

Two-Step Flow of Communication Model

The two-step flow theory is a famous interactive communication model of the communication field.  The three veteran scholars Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson, and Hazel Gaudet developed and published the two-step flow model in 1944. This two-step flow theory of communication was published in People's Choice book. The authors conducted this study based on the decision-making process in a presidential election.

The authors tried to find the impact of mass media messages on voting purposes. This study articulates that people strongly accept and believe mass media messages when influencers or opinion leaders convey them.

The two-step model illustrates that mass media do not directly influence the majority percent of people. Still, they are mostly influenced by their opinion leaders who interpret the media's message. Opinion leaders are those who are first exposed to a specific media message, and interpret this message based on their own opinions. Then begin to infiltrate these opinions among the general public who are opinion followers. Therefore, the two-step flow theory is one of the active audience theories in the communication area.

Two-step Flow of Communication Theory

Two-step Flow of Communication Theory Major Findings
  • Interpersonal and group communication are more effective than mass communication.
  • We can find opinion leaders in every sector of society or community.
  • Opinion leaders are influencers in our society.
  • Opinion leaders are more exposed to the formal media.
Two-step Model Statements

The two-step model proclaims that messages from the media transfer in two separate stages. First, opinion leaders who pay attention to the media and receive the information. Opinion leaders infiltrate their interpretations along with the actual media information.

The period ‘personal influence’ was invented to refer to the method of intervening between the media’s direct message and the people’s ultimate response to that message. Opinion leaders are quite persuasive in getting people to change their attitudes and manners and are quite alike to those they influence.

The two-step flow model has enhanced our thought of how the mass media influences decision-making.

Two-Step Flow of Communication Model Elements

The three elements of two-step flow theory are:

  1. Media
  2. Opinion Leader
  3. Receiver
1. Media

Media are news disseminating outlets that broadcast informative and recreational messages. Television and Radio is the most famous mass media.

2. Opinion Leader

An opinion Leader is a leader of individual group who provide details and message to lesser active people in the group. In office, the manager functions as an opinion leader, and in public, a political leader plays a role as an opinion leader. They interpret and infiltrate the information into their group. But one more thing is that the opinion leader is a leader only for their respective group not for all.

Katz and Paul give the impression of “the flow of media information from radio and television to opinion leaders and then the opinion leaders pass the messages into the lesser active users in the population”. Through this conversion of the message, the opinion leader may add their own opinion on the actual information which may impact the low active users. In some cases, the Opinion leaders are clarifying the actual content certifies the information is needed by the people. Most opinion leaders are selective people and they pass the information to the group (Schreiner, T. 2018).

Characteristics of Opinion Leaders

Generally, opinion leaders exist at every level of society. They ought to much more on money, education, and status than on opinion followers.

  • Knew more than other people in the group
  • Often had a certain location where they met with general people
  • They are positivists - beware of negativists
  • They are activists - doing something
  • Involved - they might not be the people you assume.
  • Have trustworthiness - a combination of trust and expertise.
3. Receiver

Receivers are followers and mass people who receive information from opinion leaders and shape public opinion. The voters, students, patients, and the public are receivers in different contexts.

Example of Two-Step Flow Communication Model

Two-step Model Example Situation

People watching the News on CNN Channel flash the headlines with “Research exposes that Carrots protect people from hair fall”. People are receivers who listen to the news only. However, They believe and eat more carrots to protect from hair fall when a physician (dermatologist) conveys the same message to them. The physician (dermatologist) is the opinion leader in this context who influences others to believe the media message.

  • Media: CNN Channel
  • Opinion leader: Physician (Dermatologist)
  • Audience: People suffering from hair fall
Two-step Flow Theory Examples in Real Life

A political leader sharing TV news about the election date on social media to inform followers is a real-life example of a two-step flow theory of communication. Nowadays, people visit social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn more frequently than on television. They accept and believe information when they are conveyed by opinion leaders. The political leader is the gatekeeper or opinion leader in this context. Sometimes, mass media broadcast fake and fabricated news. Therefore, information becomes more authentic when influencers convey them through social media.

  • Media: TV
  • Opinion leader: Political Leader
  • Followers: Voters and Supporters
Paul Lazarsfeld & His Empirical Research

In 1948, Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson, and Hazel Gaudet distributed The People's Choice– a paper investigating the voters' basic leadership forms amid a 1940 presidential decision crusade. Amid, the 1940 presidential race crusade Franklin Roosevelt versus Wendell Willkie. Planned and directed the most detailed field try at any point led. More than 3000 individuals were chosen and 600 were chosen to be on a board that was talked with multiple times consistently from May until November. Concentrated consideration on changes in casting choices and made names for each.

  • Early deciders – picked a competitor in May and never showed signs of change amid the whole crusade
  • Waverers chose a contender and then were undecided or converted to another candidate, but in the end, they voted for their first choice.
  • Converts-chose one candidate but then vote for his rival.
  • Crystallizers had not chosen an applicant in May but chose by November.
Interview
  • The detailed questionnaire that allocated with acquaintance to specific mass media content such as candidate speeches.
  • Results in slender Mass Society Theory.
  • 53% of the voters were in early contests
  • 28% were crystallizers
  • 15% were waverers
  • 8% were adapts
  • He couldn’t find any indication that media played an important role in manipulating the crystallizers, the waverers, or the converts

Voters said that they had been partial by other people.

  • Many were politically uninterested
  • No clear-cut voting conclusions b/c of low interest.
Two-step Model Strength

The model examines the way that personal relationships may help to facilitate messages from the media.

Two-step Model Weakness
  • Surveys can’t measure how people use media on a routine basis.
  • Surveys are a very affluent and unwieldy way to study people’s use of specific media such as their reading of certain news stories or their observing of specific television programs.
  • The research design and data analysis dealings are intrinsically conservative in assessing the media’s power
  • Monitoring for social and demographic variables
  • Subsequent research on the two-step flow has produced highly conflicting findings.
Contrast With the hypodermic needle model

The hypodermic needle model or magic bullet theory is the one-step theory of communication. This model explains that people are directly influenced by mass media but the two-step flow of theory says that most people are not directly influenced by mass media.

Conclusion

In sum, scholars think the two-step flow of communication theory proposes that interpersonal communication is more effective than mediated distance communication.

Focus Writing For Bank Exam Samples and Examples

Focus Writing For Bank Exam Sample and Example. Recent Focus Writing PDF 2023- 2024. Unique Bank Focus Writing Sample.

Focus Writing

Focus writing refers to the expository writing style that describes an issue concisely avoiding unnecessary information. It enhances the writer to describe an issue with the main point and appropriate words. It includes a summary of the issue to attract the readers including definition, positive and negative impact on society, challenges, recommendations, and conclusion. Focus writing format contains transitional verbs to explain the positive and negative effects. It highlights the main point precisely.

Focus Writing Format

The three core elements of the focus writing format are the introduction, body, and conclusion. The focus writing's introduction section includes a summary of the topic, a background of topics, a definition if applicable, and a thesis statement.  The body of the focus writing includes economic or socioeconomic benefits, opportunities, and advantages offered by the topic or issue. It also contains the disadvantages, detriments, and drawbacks of the issue. The challenges or barriers to attaining positive outcomes for the project.  The body of focus writing also comprises how to overcome the challenges and adversities. Finally, it demonstrates the suggestions, and recommendations to achieve a positive outcome. This section should not be less than three and not more than five paragraphs. The conclusion summarizes the body and ends with a positive sentence.

Focus Writing For Bank Exam

Focus writing for the Bank exam is essay writing for a job exam in Bangladesh. The applicant needs to write a focus writing essay for the written job exam. The author explains how to write focus writing for a bank job with examples.  The article includes recent and unique bank-focus writing examples and samples. The samples surely assist audiences in educating them on how to write focus writing.

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Focus Writing For Bank Exam Sample- 1

Topic: Universal Pension Scheme

Bangladesh has made significant progress in recent years in terms of social safety net programs. Among them, the universal pension scheme is one of the best initiatives. The universal pension scheme bill was passed in 2022 in parliament and inaugurated on 17th August 2023. The purpose is to financial security for older people who are unable to earn a livelihood due to illness, old age, and disability. The four schemes Probash, Progoti, Surokkha, and Somota will cover the whole population aged between 18 to 50 based on their national identity card, including expatriate citizens. In this article, socioeconomic benefits,  challenges, and remedies of those challenges of universal pension scheme will be discussed.

The universal pension scheme covers all older citizens above 60 years old regardless of their financial situation. This scheme is funded by the government of Bangladesh providing a 500 tk deposit every month to eligible older citizens.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the poverty among the aged population in Bangladesh was 33.9% in 2019. The introduction of a universal pension scheme will help this poverty rate to decrease significantly. It will also enable the Improvement of overall well-being by financially assisting them to meet their basic needs such as food, healthcare, and housing.

Additionally,  with the benefits for the aged population,  UPS will have a positive impact on the overall economy of Bangladesh by increasing economic activities. This will result in the creation of new jobs and stimulate economic growth in the country.

However, in order to make this initiative more effective, the authority needs to address some challenges. One of the major challenges is the issue of population targeting. Though it is universal, the scheme is unable to cover some old-age citizens. Because some of them may not be registered with the government and some also may not have required identification documents.

Another challenge is funding and proper risk-free investment ideas for the fund. While the government of Bangladesh has committed to funding this scheme, there are concerns that the current level of funding may not be sufficient to meet the growing demand for it. Also, investment of the fund in unsafe sectors may cause UPS unsustainable in the long run.

To address these challenges, the government has to take several measures. Firstly, proper targeting of all eligible populations, registering them with the help of technology, and providing identification documents who do not have them. Secondly, increase funding for the UPS with the allocation of additional funds for the scheme in the national budget.  And finally,  exploring safe investment sources to ensure sustainability in the long run.

In conclusion,  the introduction of a universal pension scheme is a praiseworthy step. This is commensurate with Bangladesh's aspiration to become an upper-middle-income country by 2031 and an advanced country by 2041. This scheme will increase economic activities which will create new places and employment. And this fund should not become another sector of corruption and pensioner should be able to withdraw their pension money instantly without unnecessary hassle. In one sentence it should be a pensioner's friendly scheme.

Focus Writing For Bank Exam Sample- 2

Topic: Cashless Economy: A Journey of Bangladesh to Digital Transaction

A cashless economy or a cashless society is an environment where traditional methods of financial transactions such as paper currency, and coins are not used. Here, all sorts of payments are completed by Mobile Financial Services(MFS) like Bkash, Nagad, Rocket, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Paypal, Cryptocurrency, debit cards, credit cards, and more such electronic methods. Bangladesh as an emerging nation is moving ahead to achieve and adopt the developed country’s economic characteristics. The cashless society is just another step in this. Cashless transaction methods have many advantages but along with these they also have some shortcomings. Without addressing these vital issues this project may fail or face difficult challenges in the future.

The cashless economy has great ascendency in Bangladesh. The most effective benefits of the project are boosting financial inclusion, less money laundering,  avoiding the risk of carrying tangible money, and less time consumption. It also enables the reduction of costs associated with the production, storing,  handling, and ending of paper and coin currency. It also makes it very easy to currency exchange while traveling internationally.

With great positive aspects building a cashless society in Bangladesh brings great challenges. These issues must be identified and resolved to enjoy the sweet fruit of a cashless society. Among these impediments, the first and most worrying obstacle is digital crimes such as fear of hacking, phishing, etc. The banks of Bangladesh are unwilling to spend more money on cyber security and ICT risk management. Secondly, less technological knowledge and less financial literate citizens. Most people in this country are not familiar with these ways of payment. Most importantly, the FRED report clearly shows that the transaction cost of MFS in our nation is the highest in South Asia and third highest in all of Asia. Moreover, intangible money creates overspending tendencies among middle-class people.

To overcome these impediments, at first central bank should play a regulatory role to increase fund investments in the cyber security sector. Additionally, educating people about financial transaction safety measures, habits of savings, and so on. Following that, in mobile financial services, the transaction cost should be lower and arrangements for special incentives be provided. Already the MFS service providers started alluring packages such as cash back, discounts in shopping at different chain shops, etc. Finally, the central bank should fix the transaction charges to buzz financial inclusion. These measures will help combat and resolve almost all the major hinders towards achieving economic ascendency to the fullest.

Undoubtedly,  the cashless society is a commendable initiative of our government which will be another step in achieving the Smart Bangladesh vision. Without sorting the indicated facts, this splendid thought may suffer. Hopefully, along with the government,  the country’s central bank and its population will work together in hand in hand to succeed.

Unique Focus Writing Example (ইউনিক ফোকাস রাইটিং)
Bangladesh-India Bilateral Transaction: A New Phase of Currency Exchange

The taka-rupee bilateral transaction is an appreciated step in strengthening economic ties between Bangladesh and India. These two South Asian nations have a friendly historical context and at present, they are working together on many developmental and economic projects and the Taka-Rupee bilateral transaction agreement is one of those. Tk-Rupee transactions will work as the pivotal driver of the two countries' cooperation and maintaining regional relationships. The opportunities, mechanisms, and challenges along with some recommendations will be discussed in this article.

One of the very first and most effective advantages of the Tk-Rupee bilateral transaction is that it will offer Bangladesh a marvelous trade boost. With this currency exchange mechanism, it will make it fast, and easy, provide lower currency rates, and less risky money transactions. It will help both the importer and exporter businesses in both countries. In 2022-23, with $15.3 billion dollars, bilateral trade with Bangladesh was India’s one of the largest trading partners.

Additionally, this method of money exchange will help Bangladesh to allure Indian investors in Foreign Development Investment (FDI) in the country. In recent years, Indian investment and business projects in Bangladesh have risen by billions of dollars. Moreover,  India will be able to expand its machinery, agricultural, and pharmaceutical markets in Bangladesh through this easy transaction agreement. Overall, it will result in rapid economic growth, smoother and tension-free trade, and strong diplomatic and economic ties and cooperation.

Along with numerous benefits and ascendency, the Taka-Rupee bilateral transaction comes with its own impediments and limitations. Firstly, inconsistency in exchange rates between taka and rupees can make a challenging situation. This inconsistency can create product cost differences, hamper export and import businesses, and discourage investors. Following, this transaction system asks for coordination between both the country’s responsible banks and financial institutions for easy convertibility, the common indifferences among the financial institutions can push this agreement into failure. Again, issues related to taxation,  trade documents, foreign exchange controls, and Bangladesh's risk of more trade imbalance will create great adverse economic conditions.

Solving these demands good cooperation between Bangladesh and India. Firstly, making of policy and regulatory measures for effective exchange rate risk management and for convertibility. Secondly, a good, friendly, and collaborative relationship between the two countries' central banks and other responsible financial institutions is vital to make the Tk-Rupee transaction a success. Most importantly, Bangladesh needs to step up in trade diversification, depending not only on previous sectors the country should come up with new profitable trading businesses. Finally, infrastructure development, monitoring, risk assessment, opportunity assessment, capacity building, and public awareness are essential to clearing the adverse possible courses.

In conclusion, the Taka-Rupee bilateral transaction will boost both the country's GDP, increase business, create employment sectors, and strengthen both countries' relationships. And to enjoy these expected fruitful results described proper measures are a must to take care of. With proper resolutions, the Taka-Rupee bilateral transaction will look like a blooming flower in the garden of both the country’s economies.