The spiral of silence: examining how cultural predispositions,news attention,and opinion congruency relate to opinion expression |
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| Authors: | Shirley S Ho Vivian Hsueh-Hua Chen Clarice C Sim |
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| Institution: | 1. Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information , Nanyang Technological University , Singapore tsyho@ntu.edu.sg;3. Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information , Nanyang Technological University , Singapore;4. Singapore Polytechnic , Singapore |
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| Abstract: | This study examines new explanatory predictors behind the spiral of silence theory, using the issue of legalization of same-sex marriage in Singapore as the context of study. Our results show that fear of isolation and saving face were negatively associated with individuals' willingness to express their opinion on the issue, whereas news attention and issue salience were positively associated. Also, fear of isolation was negatively associated with individuals' willingness to offer a rationale for their opinion, whereas news attention and issue salience were positively associated. Power distance had no effects on outspokenness. Notably, news attention moderated the influence of fear of isolation and saving face on public outspokenness. |
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| Keywords: | spiral of silence theory public opinion Singapore saving face fear of isolation |
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