Perceived Support for One's Opinions and Willingness to Speak Out: A Meta-Analysis of Survey Studies on the "Spiral of Silence"

Abstract

We report a meta-analysis of survey studies examining the relationship between people's perceptions of support for their opinions and their willingness to express those opinions. Evidence from the analysis indicates the presence of a very small, but statistically significant, relationship between the degree to which a person believes others hold similar opinions and the willingness to express those opinions. Moderator analyses did not reveal significant moderators of this relationship, although the observed correlations were statistically heterogeneous, suggesting at least one undiscovered moderator.Are we more willing to express our beliefs when we perceive support for those beliefs and less willing to disclose them when we think they are not widely shared? More than 20 years ago, Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann (1974) articulated a theory of public opinion expression and formation based on this idea. Her theory rests on the notion that individuals who perceive they are in the minority will feel pressure either to express the majority opinion or to remain silent (Glynn and McLeod 1985;Salmon and Kline 1985). The ''spiral of silence'' theory asserts that, in a society carroll j. glynn is an associate professor of communication and department chair at Cornell University.

Science communication as political communication

“…Different aspects of the spiral of silence have been tested in countless survey-based and experimental studies since the theory was first presented (67), and-despite both theoretical and operational critiques-its main predictions have been confirmed fairly consistently across political and scientific issues (68). Again, using GMOs as a case study, more recent work has operationalized willingness to express opinions among college students by asking them about their willingness to participate in a separate follow-up study that required them to have discussions about the issue with fellow students who held different opinions (69).…”

Bullying in the 21st Century Global Organization: An Ethical Perspective

“…This was evidenced in the number of multinational corporations that are accused of contracting with sweatshops in emerging economies to make products that are sold in home markets. While there is little evidence of intent to employ minors or to have deplorable working conditions, sweatshops still exist and operate under a 'spiral of silence' (Glynn et al, 1997;Gonzenbach, 1992;Taylor, 1982).…”

Expressing Opinions about the Refugee Crisis in Europe: The Spiral of Silence and Crisis Communication

“…The general conclusion of meta-analyses shows a general but weak relationship between the perceived opinion climate and respondents' willingness to express their opinions (Glynn, Hayes, & Shanahan, 1997;Glynn & Huge, 2016).…”