Blackwell Reference Online

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The term “indirect effects” denotes the consequences of direct effects on individuals who are not exposed to media content. According to Seymour-Ure (1974 , 22), “a primary [= direct] effect takes place when the person affected has himself been involved directly in the communication process. A secondary [= indirect] effect takes place when individuals or groups not involved in the communication process are affected by changes in individuals who are.” The concept of indirect effects extends the effect of the mass media beyond the users and to nonusers in two ways. Individuals exposed to media content spread information and opinion provided by the mass media, as far as they transmit them unchanged (→  Opinion Leader ). Such individuals may also transform the information and opinion provided by the mass media into action, as far as their action is predictable on the basis of media coverage (→  Priming Theory ; Appraisal Theory ). Three types of indirect effects can be distinguished. First, there are administrative reactions , i.e., direct effects on a large number of recipients of media content affect the behavior of a small number of decision-makers. For example, the negative tone of coverage about a politician's plan decreases support for him or her (direct effect), which stimulates the politician to give up the plan (indirect effect). Second, there are public effects , i.e., ... log in or subscribe to read full text