2012/10/31 by Shirley S. Ho, Vivian Hsueh Hua Chen, Clarice Sim · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · Psychology · #Social Media and Politics #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Media Influence and Health #Salience (neuroscience) #Public opinion #Social psychology #Legalization #Psychology #Isolation (microbiology) #Silence #Context (archaeology) #Explanatory power #Political science #Politics #Cognitive psychology #Aesthetics #Law
paper · doi:10.1080/01292986.2012.725178
openalex publication_date 2012/10/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
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.