Opinion leadership

Opinion leadership is leadership by an active media user who interprets the meaning of media messages or content for lower-end media users. Typically opinion leaders are held in high esteem by those who accept their opinions. Opinion leadership comes from the theory of two-step flow of communication propounded by Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz.^[1] Significant developers of the opinion leader concept have been Robert K. Merton, C. Wright Mills and Bernard Berelson.^[2] This theory is one of several models that try to explain the diffusion of innovations, ideas, or commercial products.

Opinion leaders play an important role in information flow, because we tend to seek advice from others in the social environment. Information from the mass media does not directly flow to the target audiences, but through a mediation process, in which influential people digest the information and spread it to the public. Opinion leaders have certain characteristics that make them influential in the decision-making process and the behavior of the public. Through knowledge sharing, opinion leaders may help others do jobs better, facilitate personal development and improve personal recognition.^[3]

According to Yufu Kuwashima, an opinion leader’s power and influence come from the network their followers create.^[4] Dedicated supporters reinforce the leader’s messaging to other media consumers, strengthening their influence. If one were to remove the opinion leader there would still be a network of connected users that could share ideas with one another. An opinion leader has constructed this network, but the ability to influence others lies in the network itself.^[4] In order to effectively influence the opinion of followers, they must find the leader to be above them.^[5]

^ Katz, Elihu; Lazarsfeld, Paul F. (1957). Personal influence (E. ed.). New York: Free Press.
^ David Riesman; Nathan Glazer; Reuel Denney (2020). The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character (Abridged and revised ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 278n2. ISBN 978-0-300-25347-4.
^ Yao et al (2021) Construction Safety Knowledge Sharing on Twitter: A Social Network Analysis, Safety Science, 143, 105411, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353546913_Construction_safety_knowledge_sharing_on_Twitter_A_social_network_analysis
^ ^a ^b Kuwashima, Yufu (2018). "The strength of an opinion leader's supporters". Annals of Business Administrative Science. 17 (6): 241–250. doi:10.7880/abas.0181009a.
^ Bandura, Albert (2002), "Social Foundations of Thought and Action", The Health Psychology Reader, SAGE Publications Ltd, pp. 94–106, doi:10.4135/9781446221129.n6, ISBN 978-0-7619-7271-6

[katz1957-1] Katz, Elihu; Lazarsfeld, Paul F. (1957). Personal influence (E. ed.). New York: Free Press.

[2] David Riesman; Nathan Glazer; Reuel Denney (2020). The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character (Abridged and revised ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 278n2. ISBN 978-0-300-25347-4.

[3] Yao et al (2021) Construction Safety Knowledge Sharing on Twitter: A Social Network Analysis, Safety Science, 143, 105411, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353546913_Construction_safety_knowledge_sharing_on_Twitter_A_social_network_analysis

[:0-4] Kuwashima, Yufu (2018). "The strength of an opinion leader's supporters". Annals of Business Administrative Science. 17 (6): 241–250. doi:10.7880/abas.0181009a.

[5] Bandura, Albert (2002), "Social Foundations of Thought and Action", The Health Psychology Reader, SAGE Publications Ltd, pp. 94–106, doi:10.4135/9781446221129.n6, ISBN 978-0-7619-7271-6

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