Influenceri kao opinion leaderi: suvremen pogled na 2-step flow teoriju Paula Lazarsfelda

master's thesis

• Title (english): influencers as option leaders: a modern view of the 2-step flow theory by Paul Lazarsfeld
• Author: Filip Starej
• Mentor: Ivan Burić (mentor)
• Committee member: Jelena Jurišić (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Dražen Maleš (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Ivan Burić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Croatian Studies; (Department of Communication Sciences); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2020-09-17, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Information and Communication Sciences; Communicology

Abstract

Teorija Paula Lazarsfelda o dvostupanjskom tijeku komunikacije govori kako informacije od
medija širokoj publici prenose opinion leaderi. Opinion leaderi konzumiraju više medijskih
sadržaja od ostalih te su “lideri mišljenja” u određenim temama za koje iskazuju veći interes i
o kojima imaju više znanja od ostalih članova zajednice.
Danas na društvenim mrežama postoji posebna kategorija korisnika - influenceri.
Influencere i njihove objave često prati velik broj ljudi, a njihov je utjecaj prepoznat i od strane
marketinške industrije.
Ovim se radom pokušalo utvrditi jesu li influenceri opinion leaderi na način na koji ih
je Lazarsfeld opisao. Temeljem pregleda teorijske literature, kao i na osnovu analize rezultata
empirijskog istraživanja provedenog metodom ankete na prigodnom uzorku studenata,
odbačena je početna hipoteza te je zaključeno kako influencere nije moguće poistovjetiti s
Lazarsfeldovim opinion leaderima.
Utvrđeno je kako influenceri i opinion leaderi dijele neke karakteristike, no
influencerima nedostaje važan faktor opinion leadershipa, a to je vodstvo u mišljenju. Naime,
rezultati istraživanja pokazali su kako su, u usporedbi s drugim izvorima, influenceri nevažan
izvor informacija pri donošenju odluka.
Prema rezultatima istraživanja, najvažniji su izvori informacija dokazani stručnjaci i
profesionalci u analiziranim područjima te najbolji prijatelj ili prijateljica. Tako dolazimo do
zaključka kako je za stvaranje povjerenja potrebno ispuniti barem jedan od dva faktora - bliskost
i znanje.

Abstract (english)

Paul Lazarsfeld’s two-step flow of communication theory tells us that the mass media does not
directly influence the mass audience. The information from the media is shared to the audience
with the help of opinion leaders. Opinion leaders are those who consume more media content
than other members of the community. They are influential when it comes to topics in which
they are perceived as the most interested and the most knowledgeable members of the
community.
Today, social media has a special group of users - the influencers. Influencers have large
followings, and their influence is recognized by the marketing industry.
Through this thesis we tried to find out whether influencers are opinion leaders, as
Lazarsfeld described them. The method used in the research part of the thesis is the survey. By
examining the existing academic sources and the analysis of the results of the empirical research
the inital hypothesis has been declined. Social media influencers are not the same as opinion
leaders, as described by Paul Lazarsfeld.
Although influencers and opinion leaders share some of their characteristics, influencers
are lacking in the „opinion leadership“ feature. Research results have shown that, compared to
other information sources, influencers are not a relevant information source in the decision
making process.
The most reliable information sources, based on our results, are “proven experts and
professionals in the field” and “best friend”. Our conclusion is that, to be a reliable information
source, you need to have at least one of the following qualities - emotional closeness and
knowledge.

• Keywords: Paul Lazarsfeld; teorija dvostupanjskog tijeka komunikacije; opinion leaderi; influenceri
• Keywords (english): Paul Lazarsfeld; two-step flow of communication; opinion leaders; influencers
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:111:011858
• Study programme: Title: Department of Communication Studies; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra komunikologije (magistar/magistra komunikologije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2020-11-04 15:20:11