Predicting the spiral of silence on a controversial public issue

Abstract

The “spiral of silence”; hypothesis asserts that media presentations of social issues are often regarded as the barometer for public opinions by the audience. In particular, audiences whose opinions do not coincide with their perceived majority opinion tend to maintain their silence rather than speak out. The present study assesses how different types of perceived public opinion and media climates may affect the spiral of silence dynamic. The issue examined here involves public debate over whether the U.S. should declare English as the official language. Findings from 2 cities provide support for the silence spiral hypothesis.

Key words:

• controversial public issue
• Official English
• spiral of silence