Two Step Flow theory proposes that (1) information from mass media does not directly influence the general public but rather passes through opinion leaders, (2) these opinion leaders then communicate the information to less active associates, and (3) this two-step process makes the information more persuasive because people are more likely to believe opinions shared by their trusted social contacts. An example is Nazi propaganda where Hitler's speeches reached the public indirectly after being filtered through and promoted by Goebbels, the head of propaganda.

1. Two Step Flow
Jake Taylor

2. History
Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet analyzed the voters’
decision making processes during a 1940 presidential election
campaign and published their results in a paper Called “The Peoples
Choice”. Their findings suggest that the information does not flow directly
from text into the minds of the audience unmediated but is instead
filtered through opinion leaders who then communicate it to their less
active associates

3. Simple version
Two step flow is explained well using this
diagram, it simplifies it and shows that
instead of the followers/general public being
fed the information directly instead it comes
from opinion leaders, this makes them more
likely to believe it as the opinion leaders are
often someone who is trusted. This is a
better version of the hypodermic needle
theory as it makes the viewer more likely to
believe the information they are consuming.

4. Example
An Example of this being used effectively is the propaganda used by Hitler
in Nazi Germany
Opinion Leader-Goebbels
mass media-Hitler would (head of propaganda) Followers-People would
make a speech would produce films and view the propaganda
posters about hitler and and consume the
his speeches information believing it