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= SPIRAL OF SILENCE THEORY =

Group 16
Lana Lam · Garrett Leathers · Trevor Lewis · Christopher Marpo · Jeremy Mendelsohn · Kaleigh McLaughlin

People, Spaces, Deliberation: Exploring the interactions among public opinion, governance, and the public sphere. Spiral of Silence Theory Article

The Spiral of Silence Theory was propounded by Elisabeth Noelle-Nuemann, a German political scientist. She wrote the book, __The Spiral of Silence Theory: Public Opinion-Our Social Skin__, in 1984. Her theory is based off of mass media and derives at the conclusion that individuals or groups in society build up a fear of going against what the majority of society believes to be correct about particular topics. The topic could be anything and everyone is affected by it. However, we have to ask ourselves what causes the fear and do we create this fear ourselves or does the media create it?
 * 1. Introduction and Background: **

The Spiral of Silence Theory discusses how individuals are less likely to give their opinion or take a stand on a topic or subject when they feel that they are against the majority of where others stand. The fear of reprisal and/or isolation from the majority. For example, if what one thinks about a topic is not popular amongst the group/community/society or of just your friends, one is likely to withhold their opinion so that they do not stand out from the crowd. It is natural for human beings to want to conform, so we tend to not put ourselves in a position where one jeopardizes being a part of the group.


 * 2. Important Concepts: **
 * Status Quo**: To keep anything from shifting to another direction or against the groups majority decision, thoughts, or beliefs.
 * Social Isolation**: A possible consequence when an individual speaks their mind against the majority of the group. The fear of isolation is a factor that prevents some from sharing their opinion when their idea is in the decline.
 * Online vs. Offline**: The difference someone feels when they either speak offline or online. More are willing to speak online because there is no physical face-to-face confrontation.
 * Groupthink**: Groupthink is a thought that happens deeply within an in-group where member in the in-group will decide on a decision, whatever the topic, and will reach a decision quickly without evaluating or thinking critically to get to a solution. The member(s) will react negatively to any other thought or decision that does not parallel with the main decision.
 * Collective Behavior** (//Indirect//): The possible result or consequence when individuals will conform to others' ideas instead of speaking their own. Even when they believe the opposite. This is an indirect concept because collective behavior is defined in many ways and it's name can be misleading.
 * Social unrest and coercion**: This relates to fear of isolation when the majority of thoughts is on the incline and your thought on the matter is on the decline. Going against the society or a community creates a social unrest for both sides, but mostly results in higher consequences for the minority. The fact that there is a difference and an alternate thought to a matter can cause unrest and stir the pot. Of course, depending on the subject, more or less unrest will occur.

Click below to go to the Wikipedia Page Wikipedia Page

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__Video Description:__ The above video displays a combination of pictures with music. When you watch the movie, try to capture the feeling of what is was like to be the people in the pictures or to live in that era. Then, as you continue to watch, think of your world today. In what way is the Spiral of Silence Theory taking place around you, in your life, and the effects, if any, that is has on you, you r friends, your family, your boss, a classroom, our government leaders, CEO's of worldwide companies? How far does the spiral go, and when there is an opposition that a majority protect, will anyone ever be able to voice their opinion like the icons and heroes of our past? If one day you are facing the majority, will you speak your opinion?

===**3. List of Sample Studies : **=== **Trevor:** Testing The Spiral Of Silence In The Virtual World: Monitoring Opinion-Climate Online & Individuals' Willingness To Express Personal Opinions In Online Versus Offline Settings **Chris:** Considering and Communicating More World Views: New Directions for the Spiral of Silence **Kaleigh:** I'm a Republican, but Please Don't Tell: An Application of Spiral of Silence Theory to Perceptions of Classroom Climate **Lana:** Spirals of Silence: Expressing Opinions When the Climate of Opinion is Unambiguous **Garrett:** No Silence - No Spiral? Public Expression of Opinion Tested in a Realistic Setting **Jeremy:** Dispositional Fear of Social Isolation and Willingness to Self-Censor: A Cross-Cultural Phenomenon

**4. Analysis of the Study Cases (from above) **
//__For all analysis, please refer to the file links (Word Documents) below.__//

**5. Group's Current Assessment of Spiral of Silence Theory: **

 * Society is constantly evolving and there is a minority of individuals, who openly speak out and express their opinions in all social environments, but the majority of society continues to succumb to the Spiral of Silence, and there cannot be one without the other
 * In today’s society, a large percentage of communication has moved from online to offline. In the online world, people are more willing to speak their opinion when their personal identity is hidden. However, due to the increase of online communication and their willingness to give their opinion on serious topics will ultimately be a shift back to offline communication.
 * Social media networks like Facebook and Twitter allows individuals to communicate freely in an environment they control. Any opinion or thoughts spoken to an audience they chose, results in open communication because they know anyone who opposes will not be present. These social networks and blogs are open networks where the person’s identity is always known.
 * In society, the given audience, demographics with a focus on race, have a large impact on what is perceived and exchanged in face-to-face interaction. The responses that come from the interviewee depend on whether the interviewer and interviewee are of the same race. For example, a Caucasian interviewer speaking with an African American interviewee causes the African American to alter their responses.


 * 6. Article Summaries and Their Links: **

** I'm a Republican, but Please Don't Tell: An Application of Spiral of Silence Theory to Perceptions of Classroom Climate ** Kaleigh McLaughlin

"Noelle-Neumann’s Spiral of Silence theory suggests that individuals will be reluctant to communicate when they perceive that communicative action will result in social isolation. This study investigates perceptions of silencing behaviors, political affiliation, and political difference as correlates to perceptions of university classroom climates and communication behaviors. This research extends Spiral of Silence theory to classroom communication by arguing that students refrain from communicating about controversial issues when they perceive the instructor to have divergent views. Additionally, this study argues that perception of silencing significantly influence instructional communication variables such as classroom climate."



Link to Article: An Application of Spiral of Silence Theory to Perceptions of Classroom Climate Reference: Denker, Katherine & Henson, Jayne. (2007). I'm a Republican, but Please Don't Tell: An Application of Spiral of Silence Theory to Perceptions of Classroom Climate. Conference Papers - International Communication Association,1-24.

**Spirals of Silence: Expressing Opinions When the Climate of Opinion is Unambiguous** Lana Lam

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"In a field study, Noelle-Neumann’s spiral of silence was adapted to a case of racially polarized, highly publicized opinions: the O. J. Simpson criminal trial. The predicted “spirals between and within groups” (based on a fear-of-negative-sanctions expla- nation) and “spirals between groups” (based on a presentation-of-a-public-face ex- planation) were not confirmed. However, there was evidence of racial differences in respondents’ concerns regarding the impact of their expressed opinions. One’s will- ingness to be quoted varied significantly in an unexpected fashion; majority group members (Whites) interviewed by minority group members (Blacks) were significantly more willing to be quoted than were minority members interviewed by majority mem- bers. Also, respondent race interacted significantly with the media outlet in which the subject was told his or her opinion might appear in predicting reported interest in the Simpson trial."



Link to Article: Spirals of Silence: Expressing Opinions When the Climate of Opinion Is Unambiguous. Reference: Jeffres, L., Neuendorf, K., & Atkin, D. //(1999).// Spirals of Silence: Expressing Opinions When the Climate of Opinion Is Unambiguous. //Political Communication.// 16(2)//.// 115-131//.//

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">**Testing the Spiral of Silence Theory in the Virtual World** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Trevor Lewis

//Article Findings and Statistics:// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This study extends the spiral of silence theory by taking into account the impact of new media on virtual behavior motivation. It examines individuals' willingness to express opinions online and offline and tests how the constructs proposed by the spiral of silence theory work in each setting. (N=305)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A. Suggests when the likelihood of speaking out online increases, the likelihood of speaking out in a real setting also increases, and vice versa.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">B. The hypothesis tested if the congruency of future and current opinions with one's own opinions measures and explains ones willingness to speak online/offline.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">C. Results showed opinions might fail to work in the online setting for multiple reasons. These reasons are listed in the document below.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The findings are followed by the conclusion that fear of isolation is a contributing factor that strongly predicts the willingness to speak out online, but it did not affect offline outspokenness. Finally, there was a significant evidence the Internet is more efficient than the traditional media in measuring the online outspokenness.

Link to Article: Testing the Spiral of Silence Theory In the Virtual World.pdf //Reference//: Liu, X., & Fahmy, S. (2009). Testing the Spiral of Silence in the Virtual World: Monitoring Opinion-Climate Online and Individuals' Willingness to Express Personal Opinions in Online Versus Offline Settings. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1-36. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
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<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">**Considering and Communicating More World Views: New Directions for the Spiral of Silence** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Chris Marpo

//Article Findings and Statistics:// This study serves as a review of the Spiral of Silence theory, and provides an outline that should guide future research on this topic, as well as develops perspective changes for this theory. After reviewing the research behind Neumann's theory, including the arguments against this theory, the author suggests **__three__** changes based on her findings:

1) Reexamining the definition of "silenced voices" within Neumann's original research, as well as the consideration for //alternative explanations//.

2) //Less// vague and //more// precise conceptual definitions.

3) Enabling //more// world views to be heard through the use of //more// critical and cultural studies

The document below describes the study in further detail and provides the framework for the future studies of the Spiral of Silence theory.



Link to Article: Considering and Communicating More World Views: New Directions for the Spiral of Silence

Reference: Ross, C. (2007). Considering and Communicating More World Views: New Directions for the Spiral of Silence. //Conference Papers -- National Communication Association//, 1. Retrieved from EBSCO//host//.

** No Silence – No Spiral? Public Expression of Opinion Tested in a Realistic Setting ** Garrett Leathers

Article Findings: This article gives a detailed understanding of the methods of opinion testing in the Spiral of Silence theory. There are many methods used to determine whether or not one will express their opinion, all of which seem to be problematic in one way or another. Attached is the summary of these problems in which the article discusses



Link to article:No Silence - No Spiral? Public Expression Tested in Realistic Setting

Reference: Scherer, H.; Tiele, A (2008). No Silence - No Spiral? Public Expression of Opinion Tested in a Realistic Setting. //Conference Papers -- International Communication Association//, 1. Retrieved from EBSCO//hos//t

Dispositional Fear of Social Isolation and Willingness to Self-Censor: A Cross-Cultural Phenomenon
Jeremy Mendelsohn Article Findings: 1) The purpose of my article was to examine different cultures to see how willing they were to Self-censor and their dispositional fear of social isolation. 2) Instead of asking the same questions about same issues in different countries, research was done on individual differences perspective on spiral of silence theory. 3) The study examined the correlation and means of both traits for Americans, Chinese, German, and French language data. ﻿4)China’s respondents scored higher on willingness to self-censor, but lower on fear of social isolation. 5)American, German and French cultures scored lower on willingness to self-censor, but higher on fear of isolation. 6)The study revealed that the results confirmed the expected correlations for all cultures except for China

Link to Article: [|Dispositional Fear of Social Isolation and Willingness to Self-censor] Reference: By: Matthes, Jorg; Hayes, Andrew; Shen, Fei. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 2009 Annual Meeting, p1-26, 26p, 3 Charts Subjects: CROSS-cultural differences; SPIRAL of silence theory (Communication); PERSONALITY; SOCIAL isolation; SELF-censorship; CHINA m

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