Collective Failure as Consequence on Two-Step Flow Communication in Social Media Era: A Proposed Model

DOI: 10.5176/2301-3710_JMComm17.46

Authors: Zhang Han,

Abstract: This paper builds a simple model to demonstrate that in the public affairs reporting, with the participant of social media, the two-step flow hypothesis may trace a collective failure. In our model, two opinion leaders supposed opposite standpoint about political issues, aiming establish influence over two-side supporters. But due to the presented of social media such as Facebook, Twitter or WeChat , the non-partisans audience who are the key of voters may be misled to an inferior choice rather than a superior one. Meanwhile, this effect also takes place on the standpoint of opinion leaders who will eventually pander toward the majority. That consequence we called the collective failure became more and more common nowadays and may challenge the collective rationality in mass communication society

Keywords: two-step flow; social media; collective failure; model