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SPIRAL OF SILENCE THEORY AND MEDIA

The Spiral of Silence Theory and its Impact on Media
Jewel McNair
COMM430P
Professor Kevin McAnnany
Date Submitted: November 17, 2013













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SPIRAL OF SILENCE THEORY AND MEDIA
The formulation of public opinions and its impact has been an aspect of media studies
with a continued focus on the majority opinion. However, the views of the majority are not
always equivalent and true to that of the minority voiceless opinion. In 1973 Elisabeth Noelle-
Neumann, a German political scientist, proposed the Spiral of Silence theory that described the
process in which people formed public opinion (Utwente). There are five main hypotheses to the
Spiral of Silence that include threat of isolation, fear of isolation, quasi-statistical sense(innate
ability to change public opinion), willingness to speak out/remain silent, and the spiral of silence
model (Spiralofsilence). This mass communication theory explains the process of why the
formation of the majority public opinion causes the individual or minority opinion to be
concealed by fear of isolation since it is not in absolute agreement (Comm.Theory). Thus, the
minority opinion is less likely to be voiced and the majority false consensus created by the media
becomes acceptable to the public.
Noelle-Neumann suggests the Spiral Model that explains the process of which the
dominant opinion prevails and other less dominant opinion is rejected or silenced
(Spiralofsilence). However, this type of method is primarily useful in explaining why people
change or silence their opinions in a group setting for personally or morally motivating issues
made evident through media messages (MassComm.). Noelle-Neumann admits to the
assumption that media shapes the public opinion in various ways depending on the type of
content being portrayed through the messages and that mass media are a part of the system
which the individual uses to gain information about the environment. For all questions outside of
his immediate personal sphere, he is most dependent on mass media for the facts and for his
evaluation of the climate of the opinion (Alternatechannel).
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SPIRAL OF SILENCE THEORY AND MEDIA
Television has had one of the greatest influences on individuals by emphasizing certain
view points, thus, creating a spiral of silence to the majority public opinion (MassComm.). Often
the news television show will focus primarily on one side of an argument creating an illusion that
the televised program is in agreement with the majority. An expansion on this idea would be an
example of westerners or Americans views of Africa and African cultures as wild, living in
famine, and riddled with diseases (Televisionnews). The medias focus on the negative aspects
of the African culture, kept many who rely on television media for their facts in the dark about
all the beauty that Africa has to offer. Thus, the television program news can silence a group of
people and their minority view based on its control of the news that is being communicated to
the public.
The internet and social media serve as sources for gaining different perspectives on
issues, or for providing information and resources. The onset of computer-mediated
communication involving social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook, have actually
increased public opinion of issues (Olver). Sites such as Facebook also offers a way for users to
directly assess the climate of opinions- personal or political, of their entire friendship network
and even reach a broader network of friends (SocialMedia). In another aspect, the issues that
arise from political views such as Dont ask, Dont tell and GLBT equal rights or varying
intercultural opinions that are widely expressed across the world can also be impacted by public
opinions and create a Spiral of Silence in that regard (Alternatechannel). But, at the same time,
social media has given the GLBT community activists access to a platform on a global stage by
breaking the silence and promoting awareness.
Elisabeth Noelle-Neumanns Spiral of Silence theory has been a highly researched and
studied theory towards the concept of public opinion and its impact from various media
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SPIRAL OF SILENCE THEORY AND MEDIA
(Alternatechannel). The majority opinion can have a controlling effect on the individuals
decision making ability to speak out, primarily because of fear of isolation. Television and the
internet are two of many forms of media that have an influence on the climate of opinions that
can result in a Spiral of Silence, creating an inability for a differing opinion to be voiced.
Whether people openly express majority or minority viewpoints on an issue may not be directly
proportional to the media's involvement on the issue, however, it is clear that the public will
come to rely on the media in the global society. The theory, therefore, may have a lasting impact
or change the way media formulates and affects public opinion for years to come.












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SPIRAL OF SILENCE THEORY AND MEDIA
Mass Communication Theory: Spiral of Silence. www.masscommtheory.com/theory-
overviews/spiral-of-silence.com
Olver, Christopher. Personal Opinions, Social Capital and the Spiral of Silence. Journalists
Resource. http://www.journalistsresource.org/studies/politics/citizen-action/social-capital-spiral-
silence.com
Social Media and ending the Spiral of Silence.
http://www.rferl.org/content/social_media_and_ending_the_spiral_of_silence/24318898.html
Spiral of Silence. University of Twente.
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Mass%20Media/spiral_of_sile
nce.doc/
Television News, Public Opinion, and the Spiral of Silence.
http://aculturalcollision.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/television-news-public-opinion-and-the-
spiral-of-silence/
The Alternate Channel: How Social Media is Challenging the Spiral of Silence Theory in GLBT
Communities of Color. http://www.american.edu/soc/communication/upload/09-Neill.pdf
The Spiral of Science Theory-Communication Theory. www.communicationtheory.org/the-
spiral-of-silence-theory.com