Schweigespirale

The textbook, now in its second edition, provides a solid yet easily readable introduction to the complex theory of the spiral of silence. This theory, developed by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann since the 1960s, seeks to explain how prevailing opinions in a society change and what influence the mass media have on this public opinion. The spiral of silence theory has attracted the interest of scholars worldwide, and the phenomenon has been studied in numerous research projects using a variety of methods. The book explains the theory, the research methods, the key findings, and the social and political consequences of the spiral of silence.