A cross-cultural test of the spiral of silence

Abstract

This study tests the spiral of silence theory from a cross-cultural perspective. It explores the effects of cultural conditions, particularly the dimension of individualism/collectivism, and the effects of individual motives on opinion expression by drawing two probability samples from the United States and Taiwan, two countries with different scores on individualism/collectivism. While the more individualistic culture of the United States is characterized by a subordination of collective goals to personal goals, the more collectivistic culture of Taiwan is characterized by an emphasis on collective coping. Results show that an incongruency between one's own and the perceived future majority opinion and a lack of efficacy both reduce Taiwanese people's willingness to express their opinions. For Americans, it is only motives for not expressing opinions, including lack of efficacy and issue disorientation, that make them less willing to express their views. Fear of isolation does not predict individual opinion expression in either sample. The findings indicate that the spiral of silence theory receives support in the collectivistic culture of Taiwan, but not in the individualistic culture of the United States. Furthermore, when Taiwanese are in the minority, they may withhold their opinions in order to maintain collective harmony rather than doing so out of a fear of isolation.