Spiral of Silence
by Spiral of Silence is a theory of media and public opinion. It is regarded as another type of agenda setting theory that is focused on macro-level rather than on micro-level consequences. It is concerned with the interplay between four elements: mass media, individual expressions of opinions, social relations and interpersonal communications, and perceptions that individuals have the surrounding “climate of opinion” in their own social environment.
One of the foremost political scientist in Germany, Elizabeth Noelle-Neumann conceived the “spiral of silence” in her book titled “The Spiral of Silence: Public Opinion-Our Social Skin.” Noelle-Neumann was the president of the World Association for Public Opinion Research from 1978 to 1980 (Wikipedia Encyclopedia, 2007).
Together with Erich Peter Neumann, her husband, Noelle-Neumann founded the “Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach,” which is one of the best known and most prestigious polling organizations in Germany today (Wikipedia Encyclopedia, 2007).
“Observations made in one context (the mass media) spread to another and encourage people either to proclaim their views or to swallow them and keep quiet until in a spiraling process, the one view dominated the public scene and the other disappeared from public awareness as its adherents became mute. This is the process that can be called the spiral of silence,” Noelle-Neumann wrote (Baran & Davis, 1995).
Spiral of Silence
Spiral of Silence is a theory of media and public opinion that is regarded as another type of agenda setting theory but one that is focused on macro-level rather than on micro-level consequences (Baran & Davis, 1995). It is concerned with the interplay between four elements: mass media, individual expressions of opinions, social relations and interpersonal communications, and perceptions that individuals have the surrounding “climate of opinion” in their own social environment (McQuail, 2005).
According to Littlejohn, the spiral of silence occurs when individuals who perceive that their opinion is popular express it, whereas those who do not think their opinion is popular remain quiet. This process occurs in a spiral, so that one side of an issue ends up with much publicity and the other side with little (2002).
Littlejohn’s thesis rests on two premises: that people know which opinion is prevalent and which are not and that people adjust their expressions of opinion to these perceptions. In political elections, for example, people usually perceive quite accurately the prevailing opinion about issues and candidates, and they likely to express their preferences when they are shared by others (2002).
However, other factors enter into the decision to express one’s opinion: young people are more expressive than older ones; educated individuals will speak up more than uneducated ones; men are generally more willing to disclose their opinions than women (Littlejohn, 2002).
The spiral of silence seems to be caused by fear of isolation. It is not just a matter of wanting to be on the winning side, but it is an attempt to avoid being isolated from one social group. Threats of criticism from others were found to be powerful forces in silencing individuals (Littlejohn, 2002).
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Post CommentIcyCucky
On June 17, 2008 at 8:54 am
Learn something new today, thanks!
Alixander Haban Escote
On June 19, 2008 at 8:40 am
IcyCucky, thank you for reading my article. I am glad that you learn something from it. Cheers!
Vladimir Paat Villegas
On July 18, 2008 at 6:07 am
With these article, I really knew how people really are threatened to be isolated from the society that is why the spiral of silence grows, but some people some people would say that the spiral of silence grows together with a radical thought. Take the Goths, to which my article is dedicated, just for example.
Jezel Christine Nolasco Quevada
On August 1, 2008 at 8:21 am
Being isolated is one of the fears of people. One needs the company of others to be able to survive in this world since “no man is an island”. Because of this fear, people tend to limit their acts for them not to be isolated. Thus, many are afraid to express their thoughts through media. This is where spiral of silence takes place. I’ve learned that there are some bold men who do not fear isolation and who speak their thoughts despite the consequences that may arise. The theory of spiral of silence will be a great help for people not to fear the act expressing one’s thoughts.
Zatia Denise Danao Gammad
On September 25, 2008 at 3:41 am
This is one of my favorite posts from you. I think I may be a hard core nonconformist because most of what is stated there reflect what I do in reality. This is a rare find, really and I thank you for posting it. I really like the article. It is very intriguing.