Public opinion is not only a mirror reflecting social reality but also a vital force that shapes social relations and drives social development. Although the Western empiricist paradigm of communication studies has long dominated global public opinion research, public opinion in each country is rooted in its unique economic and social context. As a result, applying Western paradigms to analyze Chinese public opinion often proves ill-suited to China’s circumstances. Public opinion studies bears a distinctive sociological imprint, and grounding it in China’s realities while reviving its sociological tradition is both an expression of academic self-awareness and a practical necessity for the modernization of China’s governance capacity.

From sociological to communication paradigm

Since its inception, the study of public opinion has been deeply shaped by sociology. Beginning in the late 19th century, Western sociologists including Jean-Gabriel Tarde, Ferdinand T?nnies, and Robert Ezra Park undertook systematic reflection on public opinion as a social phenomenon. In the mid-20th century, Western scholars such as Paul Lazarsfeld and George Gallup pioneered the application of sociological methods to public opinion research. Following China’s reform and opening up, Chinese sociologists began to take an interest in the field. Fan Meibo called for developing a “sociology of public opinion” in China—one that employs sociological theories and methods to study the mechanisms and patterns of group opinion formation and influence. Yang Zhangqiao proposed a “sociology of public opinion” that explores the process by which public opinion takes shape, spreads, and interacts with society, emphasizing the structural and institutional factors that influence it.

However, from the mid- to late 1990s, under the influence of classical Western communication theories, global research on public opinion began to shift its focus to communication processes and effects, moving gradually toward the paradigm of communication studies. In China, the “sociology of social public opinion” and the “sociology of public opinion” likewise faded from view.

Revitalizing sociological tradition

The sociological tradition in public opinion studies advocates for a holistic and structural examination of public opinion within the social organism, focusing on the deeper social issues reflected in the collective emotions, psychology, and behavior underlying public opinion dissemination. It seeks to identify the patterns of public opinion development through the mutually constructive relationships among the economy, politics, culture, and media technology. This tradition encompasses four key dimensions.

The individual and the group: The formation of public opinion is a process in which individual opinions are adjusted and regulated through group interactions. The dynamic interplay between the individual and the group is key to understanding public opinion. Today, social media has given rise to new types of online communities that represent diverse expressions of individual needs while also maintaining the aggregating effects of collective mobilization.

Relationships and interaction: Relationships constitute the fundamental network underpinning the formation and evolution of public opinion. Relational interactions serve as pathways for the exchange and collision of viewpoints, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors. Grounded in reciprocity and intra-group interests, relationships establish the implicit interactive rules that govern “circle-based” public opinion.

Mentality and emotion: Mentality and emotion form essential psychological foundations for the formation and evolution of public opinion. Mentality is shaped by factors such as economic conditions, social policy, and cultural trends. Emotional expressions, in turn, reflect group values and needs. As collective mentality often crystallize in public discourse, research should examine how social emotions respond to structural changes within society.

Structure and power: Social structures shape people’s perceptions and behaviors through institutions, norms, and cultural frameworks, determining how resources are distributed. Consequently, public opinion tends to be dominated by groups with greater access to information and discursive power.

In an era of increasingly complex cognitive competition, public opinion studies in China should offer new theoretical and practical frameworks to foster a fair, pluralistic, inclusive, and rational order of public opinion. First, it should contribute to improving public opinion feedback mechanisms and strengthening institutional frameworks, thereby transforming public opinion into a systematic governance resource. Second, it should rebuild cultural subjectivity within the context of modernity—for instance, by promoting Chinese cultural traditions such as ren (benevolence), li (ritual propriety), and he (harmony) to enhance understanding through dialogue and forge consensus amid differences. Third, it should innovate discourse systems that not only serve China’s domestic needs but also contribute Chinese solutions to the healthy development of the international public opinion order.

Zhang Chunhua (research fellow) and Li Sha are from the Institute of Sociology at the Shaanxi Academy of Social Sciences.