THE CONCEPT OF INFLUENCE

In: Public opinion quarterly: journal of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Band 27, Heft 1, S. 37-62

Abstract

An attempt to show the usefulness for the analysis of processes of mass COMM & the like of the conception of a generalized symbolic medium analogous to money. The term influence is used to designate this medium. Money itself is held to be a symbolic medium which not only resembles language but can be said actually to be a specialized language & the same can be said about pol'al power (a companion analysis of which is soon to be published in the Proceedings of the Amer Philosophical Society). Influence is conceived thus as a generalized medium of persuasion which has a prospect of convincing independently of particularized information or declarations of intention to act, a basis on which COMM's can be trusted in view of their source & the acceptability of its word in wide circles. The ultimate `security base' of influence systems, corresponding to monetary metal, lies in solidary relationships of the 'gemeinschaft' types - if you are `one of us' we are most likely to trust your word. It is held that there are phenomena in the field of influence which are parallel to the creation of credit through banking operations in the monetary field, that is that influence is not subject to'zero-sum' condition in a soc system - nor for that matter, contrary to much opinion, is power. 'Influence credit' is above all held to operate through the phenomena of voluntary association, & the 'lending' of names & reputations which that entails. AA.