ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors begin the report of the Decatur study—their attempt to make a start in mapping the flow of influence concerning several everyday matters in a middle-sized American city. Their central problem was to locate key points in the transmission of personal influence. Popular imagery comprehends many types of leaders, official and unofficial, leaders of small groups and of large nations, organizers, agitators, and clari-fiers, specialized leaders and leaders who lead in many life-areas. Official leaders serve formally organized institutions by virtue of the authority vested in the office they occupy; among them are the presidents of corporations, unions, and governments. The more easily accessible persons in the immediate environment may thus often be able to exert influence simply because they are on hand when the ripe moment for change occurs. If this is the case, the specific influence type of question seems more promising as a criterion for opinion leadership.
