Pluralistic Ignorance and the Spiral of Silence: A Formal Analysis

In: Public opinion quarterly: journal of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Band 46, Heft 3, S. 311-335

Abstract

A formal analysis of the theories of the spiral of silence & of pluralistic ignorance. Five hypotheses about the relationships among the variables in each theory of how individuals perceive PO are tested, & the points of success & failure for each noted. Finally, a general argument is made linking the spiral of silence & theories of the perception of PO to the analysis of the general class of social choice situations where people's expectations influence the outcome. The spiral of silence provides a number of different tools for analyzing the buildup of expectations in such settings. 6 Tables, 2 Figures. AA.