Ep. 011: Spiral of Silence, no. 1

In this week’s podcast, cohosts Mike and Elizabeth discuss how our perceptions of public opinion influence what we are willing to express, which in turn influences the perceptions and willingness of others to speak up (hence the “spiral” of self-censorship). We talk about why political self-silencing creates challenges that can undermine a well-functioning democracy and the results of a qualitative study of politically divided communities in which people described employing a variety of self-censorship motivations and practices.

References: Masullo, G. M., & Duchovnay, M. (2022). Extending the spiral of silence: Theorizing a typology of political self-silencing. Communication Studies. Vol. 73 Issue 5/6, 607-622.