Spiral of Silence Theory

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Definition of the Theory
Examples of the Theory Application
Conclusion
References

Introduction

One of the primary peoples needs for a successful life is unity. It means that everyone has to receive support from peers regarding their opinions in order to feel comfortable in communication. This motivation helps them agree on essential matters while preventing them from expressing themselves authentically. This mechanism is not new, and its consideration, especially as applied to politics, is one of the directions of scholars work. Therefore, it is vital to examine this phenomenon to understand societal processes and provide examples from everyday life.

Definition of the Theory

The principal role with regard to the specified problem belongs to mass media. This source of information not only increases the awareness of citizens but also leads to psychological issues. Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, a German political scientist, is the first person to describe its impact on peoples willingness to share views. She combined the existing knowledge in this area under the theory referred to as a spiral of silence. According to it, the existence of a dominant public opinion prevents the supporters of an opposing stance from expressing it (Theory and myth, 2015). In this way, they attempt to demonstrate the seeming acceptance of the former perspective.

This occasion implies the presence of specific motivation, which guides people to hide their actual beliefs. It is the fear of isolation, which is stronger than the need to freely transmit their ideas (Theory and myth, 2015). Hence, this approach is extremely efficient in explaining the decision-making process of participants in such situations. It covers both micro and macro levels of communication, helps analyze the public campaigns, and enhances the understanding of the role of media in present-day society (The spiral of silence theory, n.d.). Meanwhile, it can be incompatible with the cases when people change their opinions under the influence of better argumentation (The spiral of silence theory, n.d.). This fact allows concluding on the need to approach them with caution.

Examples of the Theory Application

The communication theory under consideration is applicable to various real-life situations in the workplace. Thus, the decisions of managers and employees at different levels do not always correlate. For instance, the intention of a managing director to increase the working hours delivered by email can cause varying reactions. If the majority of employees do not mind changing their schedule and only some of them do not agree with this measure, the latter will be likely to remain silent about it (The spiral of silence theory, n.d.). They will be afraid of isolation and, what is more important, complications in communication at work.

Another example from my personal life is the refusal to openly express my music tastes when being in the company of people who do not support them. Hence, the fear of being rejected was so strong that I preferred not only to be silent but even to pretend I like the same songs. This situation also corresponds to the model of Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann since this communication activity reflected the same patterns.

Conclusion

To summarize, the spiral of silence theory means the unwillingness of people to express their views, which are opposed to the majoritys stance. It explains most political and societal processes and allows scholars to examine the motivation of their participants in order to extract generalizations. This framework is also suitable for the situations in the workplace and personal communication, but only if there is no shift in ones views under the influence of another well-argued point.

References

The spiral of silence theory. (n.d.). Communication Theory. Web.

Theory and myth. (2015). Spiral of silence [Video]. YouTube. Web.

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Spiral of Silence Theory

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