The concept of the "spiral of silence" in the context of political communication

The article examines the concept of the "spiral of silence" by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann in the context of political communication. It summarizes the sociological core of the theory and justifies the possibilities of its extension to the political sphere, taking into account the specifics of the context. Practical manifestations of the effect of this concept are illustrated through examples from the 2024 U.S. elections and the politics of the Republic of Singapore. The study confirms that in political communication, the "spiral of silence" acts as a natural process or a tool for manipulating public opinion, possessing significant theoretical and practical importance. The research addresses common social phenomena, such as the characteristics of the effect in a political context. This makes the analysis of the extension of the concept to political communication relevant, filling an interdisciplinary theoretical gap. This study employs the following methods to examine the applicability and practical manifestation of the "spiral of silence" theory in the field of political communication: case study method, comparative analysis, and literature review method. Based on the generalization of theoretical roots and interdisciplinary analysis, this work proves that this concept is not limited to the framework of a sociological approach but also possesses high explanatory power and practical significance in political communication. We have revealed the core essence of the "spiral of silence" at the sociological level – the self-reinforcement of the majority's opinion and the weakening of minority positions under the influence of the psychology of fear of social isolation. Additionally, we identified significant differences that arise when transferring this concept to the political realm: in the political context, the spiral effect is amplified due to the heightened sensitivity and authority of the issues discussed, media transform from passive carriers of information to active participants in constructing public opinion, and various political regimes and cultural environments define different speeds and forms of the spiral's manifestation. In other words, the "spiral of silence" in the political aspect still relies on the psychological motivation to avoid social isolation, but its practical implementation can be both a natural outcome of the unfolding events and a process intensified by governmental intervention and the use of political technologies.

spiral of silence, political communication, public opinion, mass media, political regimes, media influence, alternative opinions, media agenda, framing, political elites