description Paul Lazarsfeld Overview
Paul F. Lazarsfeld (1901-1976) was an Austrian-born American sociologist who helped establish quantitative research on mass communication, voting, and consumer behavior. At Columbia University he led the Bureau of Applied Social Research and promoted the use of surveys, panels, and statistical analysis in sociology. His studies of elections and media influence, including The People's Choice, contributed to the two-step flow model, which emphasizes the role of interpersonal opinion leaders.
insights Ranking position
Paul Lazarsfeld ranks #14 of 245 in the Sociologist ranking, behind Arlie Hochschild, ahead of C. Wright Mills.
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What was Paul Lazarsfeld's two-step flow theory?
The two-step flow model proposes that mass-media messages often reach the broader public through influential people who interpret and relay them. Lazarsfeld developed this line of research with collaborators including Elihu Katz, especially in the 1955 book Personal Influence.
What did Lazarsfeld discover in The People's Choice?
The People's Choice studied voting decisions during the 1940 US presidential campaign using repeated interviews with the same respondents. Lazarsfeld and his colleagues found that interpersonal contacts and existing social affiliations often mattered more than simple direct media persuasion.
What research institution did Lazarsfeld lead at Columbia?
At Columbia University, Lazarsfeld led the Bureau of Applied Social Research. The bureau became influential for combining surveys, panel studies, statistics, and empirical research on media and public opinion.
Why are panel studies associated with Paul Lazarsfeld?
Panel research interviews the same people repeatedly, allowing researchers to observe changes rather than comparing only separate snapshots. Lazarsfeld used this method in electoral and communication studies, including the research behind The People's Choice.
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