Chapter 22 – Spiral of Silence Theory
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Chapter 22
Spiral of Silence Theory
1. Noelle-Neumann believes that the very essence of our society depends on people commonly
recognizing and endorsing a set of _____.
2. When people agree on a common set of values, then their fear of isolation
3. Which of the following statements refers to the quasi-statistical sense of personal
observation?
4. Pluralistic ignorance
5. Maria learns from the morning paper that gas prices are about to increase. She hears the same
story on the local radio station while driving to work. In the evening, when she turns on the
television, she hears the story again on the news. This is an example of the _____ of the media.
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23. Steve is a 53-year-old male from Chicago. Based on these demographics, Spiral of Silence
Theory predicts that Steve will be more willing to speak out on issues than others.
24. Ubiquity refers to the fact that the media are pervasive sources of information.
25. The hard core is part of the vocal majority.
26. Spiral of Silence Theory assumes that people remain silent because of a fear of isolation.
27. The media’s effects are always direct.
28. People tend to share their opinions with those who disagree with them because they wish to
persuade others to their point of view.
29. Nancy Eckstein and Paul Turman (2002) claim that “the media may provide the force
behind the spiral of silence because it is considered a one-sided conversation, an indirect public
form of communication where people feel helpless to respond.”
Commented [MPS1]: Aq: Note that “hard core are..” has
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30. Consonance is produced from a tendency for newspeople to confirm their own thoughts and
opinions, making it look as if those opinions were emanating from the public.
31. People only employ their personal observations of public opinion and do not rely on the
32. Dashti et al. (2015) hypothesized that women may be willing to share their views face to
face instead of posting them on Twitter.
Essay Questions
33. Identify and explain the three assumptions associated with Spiral of Silence Theory.
Answers will vary.
34. Identify and define the two ways in which people receive information about public opinion.
Answers will vary.
35. Using the following topic, diagram how public opinion is communicated by the media:
“Drunk drivers are a danger to the citizens of the United States.” Be sure to identify the majority
view, the silent minority view, and the quasi-statistical sense.
Answers will vary.
36. Do you agree with Glynn and McLeod that it is doubtful whether the characteristics of the
media as outlined by Noelle-Neumann (ubiquitous, cumulative, and consonant) apply to media
in the United States? Why, or why not? Provide examples in your answer.
Answers will vary.
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37. Using the standard criteria for evaluating communication theories, evaluate Spiral of
Silence Theory.
Answers will vary.
38. Distinguish between the concepts of ubiquity, cumulativeness, consonance, and dual
climates of opinion, making sure to define each and identify how they relate to each other in the
framework of the Spiral of Silence Theory.
Answers will vary.
39. How would you go about testing whether the Spiral of Silence is occurring with respect to a
particular opinion? Select an opinion, formulate a research question, and describe a study that
could test whether Spiral of Silence is supported.
Answers will vary.