SPIRAL OF SILENCE

Teori Komunikasi

PM Dr. Ali Salman

Bios on Noelle-Neumann

Born in Berlin on December 19, 1916

Studied newspaper science, history and philosophy in Berlin, Konigsberg and Munich

Studied journalism at University of Missouri

Earned her Ph.D. at the University of Berlin

BACKGROUND: Expressing Opinions

Societal norms can be intimidating

Public opinion as a tangible force Intense social pressure can be brought to bear on the person who dares to test the boundaries

BACKGROUND: Expressing Opinions

Perception of distribution of opinion shapes willingness to express opinions

People express opinions more confidently when they see they are in the majority or “gaining ground”

People are unwilling to express opinions that run counter to their perception of majority view

BACKGROUND: Expressing Opinions

What opinions can be expressed? Opinions that do not risk fear of social isolationOpinions that are publicly visible

Can be a minority opinion, but minority must speak out and act as if it is majority opinion

BACKGROUND: Expressing Opinions

People have a “quasi-statistical organ”

A sixth sense that provides information about what society is thinking and feelingConstantly scan the environment to gauge the climate of opinion and future trends.

Noelle-Neumann’s empirical study

Conducted extensive survey research in January 1971

Studies confirmed the ability of people to perceive about majority and minority opinions

Frequency of distribution of pro and con viewpoints

Assumption that people have an ability to determine

which opinions and modes of behavior are approved and disapproved of in their environment and;

which opinions and forms of behavior are gaining or losing strength

What is Spiral of Silence?

A theory that explains the growth and spread of public opinion

The term refers to the increasing pressure people feel to conceal their views when they think they are in the minority

People’s hesitancy to express minority views

Noelle-Neumann predicts:

“Individuals who notice that their own personal opinion is spreading and is taken over by others, will voice this opinion self confidently in public. On the other hand, individuals who notice that their own opinions are losing ground, will be inclined to adopt a more reserved attitude.”

Fear of Isolation

Fear of social isolation is the key force that drives the spiral of silence

Group pressure has tremendous influence

We don’t like to be excluded for our views

Fear of Isolation

Theory about obedience to authority in World War II - citizens in Nazi Germany

Noelle-Neumann was Nazi Party member

She worked for Goebbels, head of Nazi Propaganda

Wrote for Das Reich, but later withdrew/recanted

Fear of Isolation

People will ignore the plain evidence of their senses and yield to perceived group pressure. (Solomon Asch, psychologist)

“The worst sickness is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but the feeling of being respected by no one, of being unloved, deserted by everyone.” -Mother Teresa

Fear of Isolation

Noelle-Neumann rejects the possibility that people conform more out of a desire to identify with a winner.

Rather it is more to avoid isolation.

When to Speak or Keep Silent

Conformity and compliance have great social power over individuals

Those in minority positions tend to keep quite if they do not sense support

Not that they change their minds“Duck their heads and keep their own council”

The Accelerating Spiral of Silence

“…Because the one (predominant) group express themselves with self-confidence whereas the others remain silent, the former appear to be strong in public, the latter weaker than their number suggest. This encourages others to express themselves or to fall silent, and a spiral process comes into play.”

Silencing as a process

The process will gather steam on certain minority views

The less we hear opposing views, the more we tend to believe that most people agree with the majority viewpoint

The media role is dramatic in terms of news in the media

The media highlight a particular viewpoint or opinion

Potential of effective public opinion

Public opinion as powerful force of resolving conflicts and toppling governments

If we understand the force of public opinion, we shall not fool ourselves in thinking that we can be ‘good’ citizens, completely independent of the pressure of public opinion—Noelle-Neumann

Framing of people’s memory

When people are carried away with an interpretation of a message

Thoughts are framed in a particular way

Framing refers to memory

How well do the people remember the information that they are being exposed to

One time story

Continuous coverage such as the Gulf War

In a Nutshell…

People have the ability to measure trends of public sentiment

People justifiably fear social isolation

People are hesitant to express minority viewpoints, especially if “losing ground”

But where do they get their perceptions?

Media Influence

Mass media work jointly with majority opinion to silence minority views

Mass media, particularly TV, suggest what others are thinking through portrayalsPeople look to the media to see if there is support and legitimization for views

Index the media to gauge current climateProvide the words and phrases that people can use to defend a certain point of view

Media Influence

Direct observation gives us only a small proportion of the information we use; the print and electronic media provide most of our knowledge about the world around us.Media do not only tell us what to think about but also provide the sanctioned view of what everyone else is thinking.

The hard core and avant-garde: holdouts who can change the world.

Early critics pointed out that there are people who will never be silenced.

Hard core nonconformists - have been overpowered and relegated to a completely defensive position in public.

a. They have nothing to lose by speaking out.

b. They cling to the past and regard isolation as the price to pay.

The hard core and avant-garde: holdouts who can change the world.

• The avant-garde »forms the vanguard of new

ideas.

They seek public response, even though it may be negative.

Their conviction is ahead of the times.

The hard core and avant-garde: holdouts who can change the world.

The reality of the hard-core and avant-garde minorities are acknowledged by Noelle-Neumann, but not predicted by her spiral of silence.

Serge Moscovici does not believe she adequately considers the pervasive impact of committed deviants on public opinion.

Critique to the spiral of silence

Spiral of silence is most likely the cause for people’s fear in voicing dissent during Nazi Germany

Opted to remain silent because they choose to live and not to die

Theory has little value elsewhere, especially in the United States

First Amendment freedoms of speech and press, and enjoy the right to peaceably assemble and petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Critique

Hardcores - the minority that remains vocal in defiance of threats of isolation

Bill Maher, Dixie Chicks, War Protesters, Tun Mahathir

Pluralistic ignorance and Projection - we tend to misestimate the prevalence of our views

Quasi-statistical organ doesn’t work so well

Weak support outside of WW II GermanyMaybe only operates in totalitarian regimesThe ability to find like-minded views online

Critique

• Critics question the assumption that fear of isolation is the cause of people’s silence.

• The theory relies on the hypothetical train/plane test to measure willingness to speak rather than use the observation of actual behavior.

Critique

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

closely linked to one’s willingness to speak out. 

At present….

With the advent of the new media, is the theory still relevant?