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Who Speaks for the Community? 1
Author(s) -
Fiedler Fred E.,
Fiedler Judith,
Campf Steven
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1971.tb00370.x
Subject(s) - telephone survey , divergence (linguistics) , sample (material) , psychology , social psychology , public relations , political science , advertising , business , linguistics , philosophy , chemistry , chromatography
A survey in an unincorporated urban area compared the major community problems of concern to two groups: (a) a randomly selected sample of listed telephone subscribers, and (b) community leaders identified through nominations and reputational methods. In addition to asking about the major problems of the community, the randomly selected telephone subscribers were also asked to indicate for each problem (a) the persons or organizations to whom they looked for information and advice, (b) whom they considered qualified to speak for them, and (c) whom they expected to act in their behalf in the solution of these problems. The results of these surveys showed a large divergence of concerns expressed by the random samples and the reputed community leaders, as well as a striking number of respondents who felt themselves to be without spokesmen.