COM 259 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Self-Actualization, Cherry Picking, Glittering Generality

• School: Miami University
• Department: Communication
• Course: COM 259
• Professor: Brewer Bill

Document Summary

Public opinion = elusive and diicult to measure, ickle and variable; many varying opinions, not staic. Public opinion momentum: (+ inluence of vocal segments: society is passive, society is segmented, society is divided. Opinion/power leaders: experts who ariculate opinions about speciic issues in public discussions. Two-step low theory of communicaion: public opinion is generally formed around the views of people who have taken the ime to sit through informaion, evaluate it, and form an opinion that they express. Informaion is then disseminated through the media to opinion leaders who then inform the less-informed members of the public. Muliple-step low theory: some people eventually become interested (aware of) an issue through a chain of two-step low processes. N-step theory: individuals are seldom inluenced by only one opinion leader but interact with diferent leaders around an issue. Difusion theory: individuals adopt new ideas and products through 5 stages. Awareness -> interest -> trial -> evaluaion -> adopion.