This occurs when fear of rejection leads people to keep silent about a private opinion, misperceive the louder opinion as a majority opinion, and therefore become even less likely to express their private opinion.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described in the question is known as the "spiral of silence," where individuals are afraid to express their private opinion due to a fear of rejection, leading to a misperception that the majority opinion is the dominant view. This misperception, in turn, further discourages individuals from expressing their private opinions, perpetuating the spiral.

This Occurs When Fear of Rejection Leads People to Keep