Sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld conducted voter behavior studies in the 1940s and found that

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Paul Lazarsfeld's research, particularly the studies conducted during the 1940 Presidential election (notably in Erie County, Ohio), found that personal influence and interpersonal networks played a more significant role in shaping voting behavior than direct media influence. This challenged the then-prevailing assumption of the powerful effects theory, also known as the "hypodermic needle" or "bullet" theory, which suggested that mass media had a direct, immediate, and powerful effect on the masses.

Sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld Conducted Voter Behavior Studies in the 1940s