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Personal Influence: A Radical Theory of Action

Author

Listed:
  • Charles Kadushin

    (Columbia University in the Sociology and Social Psychology Departments, Yale University in the School of Management and in Graduate Sociology, Graduate Center of the City University)

Abstract

Katz and Lazarsfeld's Personal Influence presents a “theory of action†that privileges interpersonal influence. In contrast, classic theories of action from Hobbes, Kant, Freud, and Parsons ignored the impact of personal influence in their theories of human action. Once scholars recognized the importance of adding interpersonal influence to the action scheme, they saw that influences naturally radiated from the immediate inter personal environment to the larger social network. Both the interpersonal environment and further social network connections have been loosely termed “social capital.†Long before the term “social capital†entered the social science lexicon, Personal Influence explored the consequences of a network of advice-giving others. Ahead of its time, the book lacked some currently available technical and conceptual resources to fully meet its ambitious goal of locating the relative impact of personal influence on individual decision making. Nonetheless, current students of social capital and decision making have more to learn from this book than they may realize.

Suggested Citation

  • Charles Kadushin, 2006. "Personal Influence: A Radical Theory of Action," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 608(1), pages 270-281, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:608:y:2006:i:1:p:270-281
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716206292575
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    Cited by:

    1. Sonia Livingstone, 2006. "The Influence of Personal Influence on the Study of Audiences," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 608(1), pages 233-250, November.

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