1. Legislative Experts and Outsiders: the Two-Step Flow of Communication
- Author
-
H. Owen Porter
- Subjects
Industrialisation ,Sociology and Political Science ,Risk analysis (engineering) ,business.industry ,Energy (esotericism) ,Urbanization ,Legislature ,Business ,Public relations ,Training (civil) ,Relevant information ,Variety (cybernetics) ,Two-step flow of communication - Abstract
O NE OF THE MOST APPARENT CONSEQUENCES for representative bodies of urbanization and industrialization has been the increased variety and technical complexity of public issues. These developments place a unique burden on the elected representative. Although he is not intentionally recruited to be expert in any area, he is expected to choose among alternatives in many areas, and he is often given little time to assemble relevant information. His ability to gather and evaluate that information is further limited by his own training and experience, whether or not he is full or part time, the availability of staff and research facilities, and particularly by the limitations on human intellect and energy when faced with the tasks of processing large amounts of information. In part the problem is to avoid inappropriate information while securing the discrete information needed to make rational decisions.'
- Published
- 1974