Political polarization, influencers and personal relationships

a reading of Paul Lazarsfeld’s studies on voting

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-58442023118pt

Keywords:

Communication Theory, Influence, Opinion Leader, Lazarsfeld

Abstract

‘Opinion leaders’ and ‘personal influence’ seems to be the main concepts associated with Paul Lazarsfeld in media research, as the main ingredients of the ‘two-step flow’ model of communication, developed in milestone books The People’s Choice (1948), Voting (1954) and Personal Influence (1955). Although familiar in Communication Theory, these notions are not always presented in a greater length. This paper, grounded on a reading of the books, highlights other aspects of Lazarsfeld’s model that seems to have been less discussed in the area’s literature: (1) the importance of small groups in communication; (2) how opinion leaders emerge from trust relations inside groups and (3) the risks of opinion homogenization and political polarization related to the leaders influence inside groups. These elements are discussed against the background of communication epistemology studies.

Author Biography

  • Luis Mauro Sá Martino, Faculdade Cásper Líbero. Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil, Faculdade Cásper Líbero. Belo Horizonte – MG, Brasil, Faculdade Cásper Líbero. Belo Horizonte – MG, Brasil

    The concept of ‘opinion leaders’, formulated in the 1940s by Paul Lazarsfeld and collaborators, has gained a renewed importance in Communication studies, particularly in works on digital influencers. However, the idea is not always situated in its context, the books The People’s Choice (1948), Voting (1954) and Personal Influence (1955), resulting in its isolation from the epistemological thread from which it has emerged. This paper, grounded on a reading of the books, highlights three aspects of Lazarsfeld’s model that seem to have been less discussed in the area’s literature and that can be articulated with contemporary phenomena: (1) the importance of personal relationships and small groups in decision taking by individuals; (2) the emergence of opinion leaders due to trust bonds and (3) the polarization as a result of opinion homogenization within groups and hostility towards opposing opinions. These elements are discussed against the background of communication epistemology studies.

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Published

2023-12-11

Issue

Vol. 46 (2023)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Luis Mauro Sá Martino

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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How to Cite

Political polarization, influencers and personal relationships: a reading of Paul Lazarsfeld’s studies on voting. Intercom - Brazilian Journal of Communication Sciences, São Paulo, v. 46, p. e2023118, 2023. DOI: 10.1590/1809-58442023118pt. Disponível em: https://revistas.intercom.org.br/index.php/revistaintercom/article/view/4430. Acesso em: 21 jul. 2026.