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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 in 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 the 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 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 understanding of how the mass media influences decision-making.

Two-Step Flow of Communication Model Elements

The three elements of the two-step flow theory are:

Media
Opinion Leader
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 that 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 the 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 masses of 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 the 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 it 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 election campaign. Amid the 1940 presidential race campaign, 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 consulted 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 campaign
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.

Eugene White’s Model of Communication Example With Pros and Cons

Eugene White’s Model of Communication Example, Explanation, Components, Advantages, and Disadvantages. Examples of Eugene White’s Model of Communication.

Eugene White’s Model of Communication

In 1960, scientist Eugene White introduced a transactional communication model with eight elements including feedback. Therefore, it is known as Eugene White’s transactional model of communication. It is a perfect model to explain oral communication between senders and receivers. Consequently, it is known as Eugene White’s model of oral communication or verbal discussion. The most important component of this theory is feedback to make it a transactional model of communication.

According to Eugene White’s model, the communication process is circular, not linear. Feedback exists as the most important component of the oral discussion.

Eugene White’s model shows communication occurs in two directions. It also indicates communication is a circular, not a linear process. The discussion occurs between two people, and it is reciprocal.

According to Eugene White’s model (1960), people think to symbolize the speech; they then speak to send the message to receivers. The receivers decode the message to provide feedback to senders. The sender and receiver monitor the context to continue the conversation. It is the best communication mode to describe a talk show and debating program.

Examples of Eugene White’s Model of Communication

The five examples of Eugene White’s model are the talk-show program, debating, bargaining between buyer and seller, small group discussion, and interview session discussion.

Talk-show program

The talk show program is an example situation of Eugene White’s stages of oral communication. In talk show programs, the speaker and host follow eight stages of communication, including thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, feedbacking, and monitoring the context.

Debating among Student

Debating among students is another example of White’s communication model. The speaker and receiver follow a cyclical communication process in this context. Sometimes, the senders play the role of receiver. Consequently, the receivers play the role of the sender. They speak and listen simultaneously.

Negotiation Between Buyer and Seller

The bargaining between buyers and sellers is an example situation of Eugene White’s model. In hardball negotiation, a circular conversation occurs reciprocally.

Group Discussion

In addition, small group discussion is an example situation of White’s model of communication. Many people converse recurrently. The group members monitor the discussion and provide their thoughts.

Interview Session

Finally, the interview session is an example situation for White’s communication model. The interviewer asks several questions to assess the applicant. Similarly, the applicants reply to the interviewer which produces two-way communication. The communication process is circular and both parties provide feedback.

Eugene White's Model of Communication Example, Explanation, Elements and Advantages, and Disadvantages. Eugene White's Model 1960 — Eugene White’s Model

Eugene White’s Model of Communication Explanation

The eight elements of White’s model of oral communication are:

Thinking
Symbolizing
Expressing
Transmitting
Receiving
Decoding
Feedbacking
Monitoring

Eugene White’s model describes the face-to-face communication process with eight communication components: thinking, symbolizing, expressing, transmitting, receiving, decoding, feedbacking, and also monitoring. Communication is a recurring process in which the sender and receiver work simultaneously.

Thinking

Thinking is the sender’s thoughts and perceptions. The sender thinks to organize and deliver messages to receivers. Thinking is the initial stage of the communication process.

Symbolizing

Symbolizing means representing something to express thoughts. People symbolize words and utter them to communicate. For example, every word of a speech is a symbol of communication. In written communication, letters are the symbol of communication.

Expressing

Expressing is the process of articulating thoughts and messages to receivers. People express ideas by symbolizing them. For example, a physician delivers his speech to stop people from smoking. He expresses a persuasive speech to influence people.

Transmitting

Transmitting is the process of conveying messages or thoughts from senders to listeners. In face-to-face communication, the sender transmits the message directly to the receiver without a channel. In mass communication, the sender uses TV, radio, or newspaper to transmit the message.

Receiving

Receiving is the process of receiving messages from the receivers. The receiver accepts ideas and decodes them to provide feedback. Usually, listeners receive messages from senders and they respond to deliver opinions.

Decoding

Decoding is the way of interpreting an encoded symbol into intelligible language. It is an invisible process that we can not see.

It involves extracting the intended message from the symbols, words, or signals transmitted by the sender and making sense of it based on one’s knowledge, experiences, and cultural background.

In the communication process, decoding occurs after the receiver has received the message through the chosen channel

Feedbacking

Feedback is the process of responding to the sender’s message. It validates the communication process is transactional, not linear. Feedback ensures that the communication is transactional and both parties respond. It also validates that Eugene’s communication model is the transactional model of communication.

In the verbal communication process, the sender and receiver respond orally for feedback. In the non-verbal communication process, communicators provide feedback with a smile, yawn, nod, posture, gesture, sweating, and covert behavior like a fast heartbeat.

Monitoring

Speakers try to understand whether the listener accomplishes the message or not. It is all about observation. The speaker observes how the message impacts the audience. A good speaker should have monitoring skills to persuade his or her listeners. This skill assists them in staying away from providing stereotyping, prejudice, and discriminating speech.

Eugene White’s Model Advantages and Disadvantages

White’s Model of Communication Advantages

Firstly, White’s communication model can explain the transaction communication process with feedback. It is the perfect model to explain oral communication.

Additionally, this model shows how two-way communication occurs, like debating and talk shows.

Moreover, White’s model suits effective communication processes; therefore, organizations use this model to communicate with clients. For example, the marketing team discusses with clients over smartphones to motivate them.

White’s Model of Communication Disadvantages

Unable To Explain One-Way Communication

Firstly, the White model cannot describe the one-way communication process; because it is a transactional model with feedback. Whereas, the linear communication models can explain the linear or one-way communication process. For example, it cannot explain communication with radio, television, books, newspapers, and no-reply email.

Complexity

Eugene White’s model presents a complex framework compared to linear models such as Aristotle’s model of communication with five elements. White’s model is difficult to understand and apply in real-life communication because of its multiple stages.

Overemphasis on Feedback

White’s model highlights feedback that is not compulsory for one-way communication like print media and no-reply email.

Lack of Contextual Sensitivity

Eugene White’s model avoids communication contexts such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, and mass communication. This model does not explain the setting in which communication occurs.

Ignores Non-Verbal Communication

Eugene White’s model does not highlight nonverbal communication cues including facial expressions, smiles, posture, and gestures. However, feedback can be part of nonverbal cues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Eugene White’s model is a transactional communication theory with feedback. It is one of the significant models to describe the two-way oral communication process with eight elements (Thinking, Symbolizing, Expressing, Transmitting, Receiving, Decoding, Feedbacking, and Monitoring). This article provides eugene white’s model of communication explanation, examples, strengths, and weaknesses.