Mass Media and Society 9(2)

8/6/2019 Mass Media and Society 9(2)

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Mass Media and society

Master programCommunication andAdvertising

Spiral of silence





Experiments on obedience and groupconformity

• Solomon Ascho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYIh4MkcfJA&f

eature=PlayList&p=4FEDA0B1DFD77298&index

=7

• Stanley Milgramo http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vi

ds.individual&videoID=1798620933



Spiral of silence. General background

• 1965 election (Germany)o The two major parties (Christian Democrats and

Social Democrats) were locked in a dead heato Last minute swing (Noelle-Neumann rejects the hypothesis

that people conform out of a desire to identify with a winner)

• 1972 election (Germany)o

The two major parties were racing neck-to-necko Last minute swing



The threat test

• 1976: Smoking in the presence of nonsmokers• A field experiment:• the control group:

o 44% : In the presence of non-smokers one should refrainfrom smoking. To smoke would be inconsiderate; for thosewho do not smoke, it is very unpleasant to have to breathesmoke- filled air (+ 45% were willing to have a conversation)

o

44%: One can't expect people to refrain from smoking justbecause nonsmokers are present; it’s really not that much of an annoyance to them anyway. (+ 43% were willing to have aconversation)

• the experiment group (the train experiment)



The train test

+ “one would refrain fromsmoking in the presence of nonsmokers”Only 23% of the smoking

defenders were willing tohave a conversation aboutthat.



Opinions

• Private opinions (we keep to ourselves)• Public opinions (we feel safe to share with others)• Public Opinion – related to the climate of opinions

(people have a sixth sense that allow them toevaluate this climate)

• Majority – vocal opinion (a symbolic majority)

(people become more talkative)• Minority – silent opinion



Spiral of silence

• Vote intentions vs. vote expectations• Bandwagon effect vs. last minute swing• People who would talk no matter what (the

hard core)• Changes in the climate of opinions• Forming the spiral of silence: people are

more afraid of being isolated than of being wrong (the group pressure)



The accelerating spiral of silence

Fear of isolation catches those in the minority ina spiral of silence.People sense a slight discrepancy between their

position and prevailing public opinion.Minority opinion holders begin to withdraw from sharingtheir opinion.

They sense a widening gap and draw back from publicscrutiny.

The spiral becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.



Mass media’s role

• Mass media can expand or inhibit the spiral• People perceive media opinions as dominant

opinions (discussion)

• Mass media can create a false majority illusion• Mass media can reverse a spiral process through

giving the “hard core” a voice• Media accelerate the muting of the minority in the

spiral of silence• Television is particularly influential because of its

omni-presence, its single point of view, and the

constant repetition of its message



Questions to be asked whenmeasuring the spiral of silence

1. Question(s) measuring the opinion of interviewee on acontroversial subject (what he/she thinks of…)

1. Question(s) regarding what the interview believes of what other

people think about the subject (majority)

1. Question(s) regarding the possible trends of future evolution of opinions

1. Question(s) regarding the willingness of the interviewee topublicly participate in supporting his/her own opinion (ex: in apublic debate, wear distinctive signs, signing petitions etc.)



Critics of the theory

• Critics question the assumption that fear of isolation is the cause of people’s silence. (people may just not have an opinion)

• The theory relies on the hypothetical train/plane test to measure

willingness to speak rather than use the observation of actual behavior.

• While the spiral of silence focuses on national climate of public opinion,other studies have indicated that the opinion of one’s own referencegroup or microclimate of family and friends is most closely linked to

one’s willingness to speak out.

• Recent studies suggest that the spiral of silence is alive and well in thetwenty-first century



Papers

1. Presentation of the problem2. Literature review3. Methodology section (research questions, group

target, method etc.)4. Data analysis and interpretation (quotations)5. Conclusions6. Reflections (individual)7. References8. Interview guide9. Transcripts of interviews (individual)



Presentations

1.Each group has about 20 minutes2.Presentation itself should be about 15

minutes3.Each person in the team should speak4.Should include methodology details5.Can use computer 6.Can pass out handouts



Questions?

• About the spiral of silence?

• About the project?

• About the presentations?

• About the exam? (date: Jan 24, 5p.m., L101)

Documents

Mass Media and Society 9(2)