|
The spiral of silence is a political science
and mass communication theory propounded by Elisabeth
Noelle-Neumann. According to this theory, a person is less likely to voice their opinion on a topic if they feel they are in
the minority because they fear reprisal or isolation from the majority.
The media plays a large part in determining what the dominant opinion is, since our direct observation is limited to a small
percentage of the population. As the media's coverage of the majority opinion becomes the status quo, the minority becomes less
likely to speak out. Conversely, as one feels their position gaining popularity, they become more and more likely to speak about
it.
The theory assumes that people are constantly assessing the public's opinion and that they use the media to do so. It also
assumes that we have an inherent fear of isolation and know what opinions will bring on isolation by the majority. The theory
neglects to explain a vocal minority that does not fear reprisal.
This article is a stub. You can
help Wikipedia by expanding it .
|