As Time Goes By...

Abstract

Published in 1955, Personal Influence is a study of how middle America made political and consumer decisions in small primary groups and how ordinary people were both influenced and influencing. The Vietnam War challenged the paradigm as a new generation of scholars turned to larger units—state and society—and the power the media might have in reinforcing class structure. Part II of this article examines the application of the paradigm in voting studies from Walter Lippmann as the prototypical cosmopolitan to the locals of Decatur. The conclusion raises questions about the future based on globalization and the decline of the nation-state. Drawing on Dayan and Katz’s work in studying televised events, this article shares their perspective based on aesthetics, which would give more attention to culture.