1517 Advances in Environmental Biology, 7(8): 1517-1526, 2013 ISSN 1995-0756

This is a refereed journal and all articles are professionally screened and reviewed ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The Spiral of SILENSE in Eastern & Asian Societies

1Seyed Mohammad Reza Khoshrou, 2Hadi Sadeghi

1Islamic Research Center of IRIB, Tehran, Iran 2Dean of Hadith Sciences, College,Iran, Tehran, Iran

Seyed Mohammad Reza Khoshrou, Hadi Sadeghi: The Spiral of SILENSE in Eastern & Asian Societies

ABSTRACT

Numerous studies have been conducted on the spiral of silence since Noelle-Neumann) formulated the theory a quarter of a century ago. As a whole, these studies draw upon di erent conceptualizations, employ inconsistent operationalization, and give short shrift to important macroscopic variables. Such inconsistencies potentially account for substantial proportions of the variance in spiral of silenceff e ects. This paper examines these three areas in greater detail. First, we review key assumptions and theoretical statements of the spiral of silence. Second, we examine how these conceptual issues translate into operationalff ones. Finally, we outline areas that have remained largely unexplored over the last years. Specifically, we contend that spiral of silence studies in di erent cultures have failed to take into account culture-specific variables that may mitigate the importance of opinion perceptions as predictors of individual behavior or attitudes. In other words, cross- cultural di erencesff are key factors in predicting speaking out, the key dependent variable in spiral of silence research. As a result, we call for the return to a more macroscopic focus in spiral of silence research. When Noelle-Neumannff formulated the spiral of silence theory, she in essence posited that an individual’s willingness to express his or her opinion was a function of how he or she perceived public opinion. After all, individuals 'ideas, attitudes, and behaviors are often influenced by their perception of what others do or think.

Key words: Asian Socities, Eastern, Silense, Spiral;

Introduction process; and varying levels of attention paid to testing important macroscopic variables. Noted: ‘These cognitive attributions may be This paper examines all three areas in greater widespread, firmly held and provide common detail, looking back over the history of spiral of understanding, but their accuracy is not to be silence research. First, we review key assumptions assumed. 'Researchers have examined individual and theoretical statements of the spiral of silence, perceptions of public opinion and their impact on grounding the theory in public opinion and situating political behaviors and attitudes, and some have it in the more general framework of theories on concluded that ‘the spiral of silence is the only theory opinion perceptions. Based on this framework, we of public opinion possessing the attributes of depth, address problematic assumptions and theoretical range, and to more limited extent, accuracy’ (Since statements in spiral of silence research. Second, we its inception a quarter of a century ago, the spiral of examine how these conceptual issues translate into silence has generated considerable empirical research concrete operational ones. Finally, we outline areas with inconsistent findings, leading Glynn, Hayes, and left largely unexplored by previous research on the Shanahan to examine the key relationship between spiral of silence. perceptions of majority opinion and an individual’s Specifically, we address a concern raised by willingness to express his or her opinion. Their meta- McLeod and Bulmer who argued for a more analysis of over empirical studies revealed a small macroscopic focus in communication sciences that but significant e ect. will enable researchers to make cross-cultural Contradictory results and the inconsistently comparisons. While we argue that inconsistent strong findings acrossff spira l of silence studies have findings across studies in di erent cultures (for an their origin in a number of sources: conceptual overview, see Glynn et al. stem from the problems, e.g. inconsistencies in how key concepts in inapplicability of a given ffmeasure in di erent the spiral of silence are explicated; problems cultures or general operational di erences among regarding the measurement of key variables in the studies, cross-cultural research suggests that culturesff di er in their socially shared meanings,ff norms of

Corresponding Author ff Seyed Mohammad Reza Khoshrou, Islamic Research Center of IRIB, Tehran, Iran ”. Tel.: +98-912-177-4157; E-mail: [email protected] 1518 Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(8): 1517-1526, 2013 interpersonal relationships, and conflict resolution. By a sufficient level of agreement on values and Hence, the question for spiral of silence research goals' [52]. To guarantee this agreement, society becomes: to what degree can culturefic speci threatens with isolation those individuals who variables o set or increase the importance of opinion violate the consensus. perceptions as predictors of individual behavior or 2 Fear of Isolation: The formation of individual attitudes? Asff a result, we call for a return to a more opinion and action is char- bacterized by macroscopic focus in spiral of silence research. individuals' fear of becoming `social isolates' [66]. But in Islamic & Asian population this opinion This second assumption of the spiral of silence is not to this model and I research about it. derives from experimental studies on conformity. Social conformity can be either informational social Materials and Methods influence, reflected in individuals accepting information from others as evidence about reality, or DEFINING PUBLIC OPINION AND its ROLE normative societal influence, in which individuals IN SOCIAL CONTROL `conform to the . . . expectations of others' [22] Against a backdrop of philosophers and Noelle-Neumann (1993) uses the latter to explain and researchers grappling with the task of defining public provide evidence for the assumed impact of fear of opinion (see Davison 1968 for an overview), Noelle- isolation on willingness to speak out. She refers to Neumann (1995) differentiates two concepts of experiments in which subjects conformed with the public opinion: (1) public opinion as rationality, majority in performing relatively straightforward which makes it `instrumental in the process of tasks such as selecting a line that matched another in opinion formation and decision making in a length [5] and selecting the longer of two acoustic democracy'; and (2) public opinion as social control, tones [42] Noelle-Neumann (1993) uses the fact that where `its role is to promote social integration and to subjects in Asch's experiment saw `with their own ensure that there is a sufficient level of consensus on eyes that the line selected by the majority as the best which actions and decisions may be based'[48] match is not the best match' as evidence that fear of It is, however, the model of public opinion as isolation is the dominant factor influencing social control [9]. that underlies the spiral of silence conformity [55] theory. Because successful social systems `must have 3 Quasi statistical Sense: As a result of fear of ways to institutionalize consensus' [14], they threaten isolation, individuals constantly monitor their individuals with social isolation in order to ensure environment to check on the distribution of opinions these necessary levels of cohesion [50]. At the same as well as the future trend of opinion. Such time, individuals constantly scan their environment monitoring can involve attending to media coverage for present and future distributions of public opinion of an issue, direct observation of one's environment, `in order to see which opinions and modes will win or interpersonal discussion of issues. the approval of society and which will lead to their The quasi statistical sense is probably the most isolation' [51] widely misinterpreted concept in the spiral of silence. Public opinion as social control is thus defined Critics have challenged the notion that a quasi- as opinions that can be expressed without risking statistical perception of the climate of opinion is sanctions or social isolation, or opinions that have to usually accurate. For example, some have suggested be expressed in order to avoid isolation [49]. that `Noelle-Neumann's model predicts the complete accuracy of a respondent's perception of majority ATTENTION: THE SPIRAL OF SILENCE AS A opinion' [46].; see also Salmon and Kline 1985, THEORY OF SOCIAL PERCEPTION Neuwirth and Ilundain 1984) and therefore cannot account for phenomena such as pluralistic ignorance With an emphasis on the formation, functions or the looking glass perception.4 As Salwen, Lin, and and effects of public opinion, the spiral of silence Matera (1994) point out, however, the hypothesis presents an approach that integrates what some focuses on people's perceptions of the climate of consider a fractured concept of public opinion and opinion, rather than a real climate of opinion' [65] offers the possibility to test it empirically (Salmon Misperceptions of public opinion like pluralistic and Kline 1985, p. 3). This section outlines the ignorance or the looking glass perception are an assumptions and key theoretical statements of the integral part of the spiral of silence theory with spiral of silence, and evaluates conceptual issues that respect to phenomena like the dual climate of have arisen since the theory was introduced. opinion [56]. i.e. the misrepresentation of public opinion in mass media. However, Glynn et al.'s Assumptions: (1996) meta-analysis identified a relatively large number of `researchers [who] fail to operationalize The assumptions of the spiral of silence can be perceived congruency as such, instead focusing on outlined in the form of five major hypotheses [51] ``objective'' congruency' [33] 1 Threat of Isolation: `In the social collective 4 Willingness to Speak Out and Tendency to cohesion must be constantly ensured Remain Silent: Individuals tend to publicly express

1519 Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(8): 1517-1526, 2013 their opinions and attitudes when they perceive their measure, however, needs to take into account at least view to be dominant or on the rise. In contrast, when six factors. people sense their view is in the minority or on the 1 Cross national differences: major problems decline, they become cautious and silent. have emerged in comparative studies due to the 5 Spiral of Silence: The interaction of these four inapplicability of empirical tests of willingness to factors leads to a process of formation, change and speak out in different cultural settings [56][43] reinforcement of public opinion. Over time, changing Therefore operationalizations have to be developed perceptions of the opinion climate influence people's which can be applied across cultures. willingness to express minority opinions and 2 Public exposures: Taylor (1982) uses a establish one opinion as the predominant one. Public measure of willingness to donate money for a group opinion is transformed from a morally loaded that supports one's own position as an indicator of question or from the `liquid' state [72] to a `solid' public outspokenness. Financial contributions, norm or dogma [57] however, lack the public element that produces conformity [76] In other words, public opinion needs Willingness to Speak Out: to be operationalized as `the tribunal at which judgment is passed' [57] Criticism of the spiral of silence as a macro 3 Anonymous public: even if a public element is theory has mainly focused on three areas [21] First, included in the measures of public opinion researchers have questioned whether fear of isolation expression, tests might neglect the anonymous adequately and sufficiently explains one's willingness character of the public. Glynn and McLeod (1984), to speak out in experimental and survey designs [27] for example, operationalized public as `a social Others have suggested factors other than fear of gathering of people you know' (p. 734). Salmon and isolation that potentially influence people's Rucinski (1988, p. 9) used a hypothetical willingness to speak out [41] Second, studies conversation `with a group of friends' to examining the spiral of silence empirically have operationalize public. Essentially private situations, criticized Asch's (1955, 1965) and Milgram's (1961) however, i.e. outspokenness in the family or with conformity experiments as providing an adequate friends, are not suited for empirical tests of the basis for the spiral of silence theory ([27] Third, and concept `for it is the willingness to speak out in somewhat related, researchers have suggested that public (coram publico) which is important to the cues about opinion distribution may come from process of public opinion' [45] sources other than the national climate of opinion 4 Size of the public: when operationalizing [27] outspokenness, experimental designs or hypothetical questions in surveys should be chosen in which the Results and Discussions size of the public is kept constant and as small as possible. According to Noelle-Neumann (1994), `the Speaking Out As The Key Variabl: larger the public, the more personal characteristics-- security, self-confidence, practice in speaking, In order to specify the effective factors in the education, role--will influence responses, formation of silence spiral, before an opinion independently of the climate of opinion' (p. 111). develops about a subject, people exchange ideas with 5 Survey data: criticisms of the weak external their fellows to define and describe how the silence validity of most conformity experiments make spiral is formed, produced, or how opinions in most survey data the appropriate method for data cases change. collection for evaluating the willingness to speak out. The primary groups, such as family members, 6 Moral loading: the issue under study has to be office co-workers, and friends definitely have an a controversial one with a clearly identifiable moral impact on shaping one's personal idea; in other aspect attached to it. words, the formation of ideas does not take place in a The Differences in the formation of Silence vacuum; interpersonal relationships create some Spiral between Eastern societies (Islamic and Asian) networks which contribute to this process. and Western Societies Interactions not only shape public ideas, but also A question that has remained virtually shape the personal ideas, and therefore ideas are the unanswered concerns whether the spiral of silence is result of some argumentative activity; and this gives a universal, cross cultural phenomenon. Salmon and a social dimension to this process. Kline (1985) suggest that as a macro theory, the Various operationalization of public opinion spiral of silence should be applicable across national expression on controversial issues boundaries. Indeed, the theory has been tested in a Have been suggested [27] Generally, public number of countries including Germany [55], Japan expression has been operationalized by some [39], Korea [84], and the USA [67].In their meta- measure of the respondent's willingness to express analysis of over 20 published and unpublished his or her opinion in a hypothetical situation. A valid studies from six countries, Glynn et al. (1997) found small but significant effects of perceived congruency

1520 Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(8): 1517-1526, 2013 between own and perceived public opinion on concept of humanity as autonomous, rational, self- people's willingness to express their opinion on directed individuals' [44] controversial issues. Their meta-analysis, however, is In contrast, the `self' collectivistic culture is plagued by the same problems of commensurability situation ally based and depends heavily on the social confronting cross national comparisons of spiral of environment at the time the social interaction takes silence research. Genuine comparability, of course, place. Weaning (1985) suggests that this is partly a `can be achieved only by the application of some function of a widespread Confucian School of carbon copy like process' [37]. Comparisons require thought in Asian countries that `has undermined the that one key variable be reasonably similar with autonomy of the individual self' [75] Consequently, respect to how it is conceptualized and individuals in collectivistic cultures display operationalized: the hypothetical situation commonly `discretion in voicing . . . opinions and feelings' [74] used to measure respondents' willingness to speak Hui and Triandis (1986) summarize what can be out. called the `collectivist personality': As noted earlier, willingness to speak out has Collectivists are more likely to pay more been measured in a number of ways, posing threats attention to the influencing agent than are even to the comparability of studies within a single individualists. As a result, collectivists are more country or culture. Even more confusing is a finding conforming than individualists. reported by Donsbach and Stevenson (1984) who It may be safe to say that the former are more found that the same indicators for people's willing to go along with the group, to avoid being willingness to speak out might not be equally rejected [38] appropriate across different cultures. They conclude This distinction between individualism and that `the problem continues to exist of adapting the collectivism is highly relevant for future spiral of ``public situation'' and the ``readiness to speak up'' to silence research. If it is indeed possible to identify the cultural and social conditions in a society' [23] personality characteristics common to citizens of a Research suggests that beyond the more given culture, these characteristics might prove to be methodological problem of finding appropriate important long term predictors of people's indicators for concepts in a given culture, there is a willingness to speak out beyond more temporally substantial difference in personality traits for people bound perceptions of opinion climates. living in different cultures. In order to answer this question, the distinction The concept `culture', and differences between between individualism and collectivism at the socio cultures, are hard to grasp and even more difficult to cultural level must be translated into equivalents at operationalize [72] Cushman and Sanderson King the psychological level: allocentrism and (1985) define culture in terms very similar to idiocentrism, respectively [73]. However, this symbolic interactionism, in which an important dichotomy might need to be refined for cross cultural aspect of culture is a `symbolically integrated comparisons. In examining conflict styles in the framework that regulates social interaction' [72]. USA, Yugoslavia, and Japan, Cushman and Cultures differ `in the extent to which Sanderson King (1985) concluded that different cooperation, competition, or individualism are cultures `develop their own myths, rituals, and social emphasized' [72]. The concept of individualism dramas for conflict resolution' (Cushman and seems to be a key variable in differentiating social Sanderson King 1985, p. 117). They identified behavior, particularly communicatory behavior, distinctively different patterns of conflict resolution across cultures [34]. Ting Toomey (1988) for the three cultures: the Japanese manifested a distinguishes between `individualistic, low context pattern of collaboration, based on their `strong cultures and collectivistic, high context cultures' [34] respect for hierarchy [and] homogenous values' Countries like Australia, Germany, or the USA can [15]the USA showed a pattern of competition, based be considered individualistic cultures, while Asian on a strong sense of individual freedom and countries exemplify collectivistic cultures. achievement; and Yugoslavia as a culture was In individualistic cultures, the consistency characterized by a climate of compromise, which between private self-image and public self-image is may stem from the ethnic diversity created somewhat of utmost importance [69] In other words, one has to artificially this century. be true to him or herself. As a result, `members of Cushman and Sanderson King's (1985) scheme, individualistic cultures tend to stress the value of however, lacks the abstraction that makes it useful as straight talk and tend to verbalize overtly their a general classification scheme for types of cultures individual wants and needs' [74]What other people based on the collectivism individualism continuum. think of them is of only marginal importance to Moreover, at the psychological level, it does not individuals in individualistic cultures (Ito 1993). It allow us to determine the levels of all centrism or seems, however, that the idea of individualism is idiom centrism that might be important factors in limited to certain cultures. Moscovici (1985) writes: predicting people's willingness to speak out. `To the best of my knowledge, it was the West, and More directly applicable approaches may be the West alone, that produced and refined the adapted from Rahim's (1983) work on interpersonal

1521 Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(8): 1517-1526, 2013 conflict styles and Putnam and Wilson's (1982) which individuals are susceptible to perceptions of research on communicative strategies in opinion climates. In other words, are some people organizational conflicts. By classifying respondents more concerned about themselves than about others, along their concern for themselves and for others, or vice versa, and are there personality characteristics Rahim generated five different conflict styles: that make some more likely to express their opinions, integrating (high concern for self and others), independent of their perceptions of their dominating (high concern for self and low concern environment? for others), obliging (low concern for self and high Previous research has treated the concepts of concern for others), avoiding (low concern for self `hardcore' or `avant-gardes' as assumptions rather and others), and compromising as a middle category. than variables. We strongly argue for including Based on a similar reasoning, Putnam and Wilson measures of these concepts in future empirical (1982) suggested a dichotomous scale that orders research on the spiral of silence. respondents and their conflict resolution strategies Second and closely related, this measure might hierarchically. Their scale can be used as a measure serve as a measure of fear of isolation. As we of all centrism vs. idiom centrism and, at the same mentioned earlier, Glynn and McLeod (1985) time, explain the phenomenon of Avant grades or suggested that fear of isolation should be treated as a hard cores, or those respondents whose willingness variable rather than an assumption. to speak out seems mostly unaffected by their perceptions of the climate of opinion. So far, research has widely ignored this suggestion: Putnam and Wilson (1982) suggested the following three dimensions of conflict styles: Third, and finally, a measurement of conflict 1 No confrontation: indirect strategies for styles could serve as a control for cross cultural handling a conflict; choices are to avoid or withdraw comparisons. If cultures truly differ with respect to from a disagreement; communication behaviors how individuals handle conflict and deal with public include silence, glossing over differences, and pressure, this variable is crucial in revealing these concealing ill feelings. cultural differences and providing further insights 2 Solution orientation: direct communication into the process of the spiral of silence. about the conflict; behaviors that aim to find a Therefore, the formation of silence Spiral in its solution, to integrate the needs of both parties, and to confirmed examples has mainly occurred in western give in or compromise on issues. countries. But, in Islamic and Asian societies, where 3 Control: direct communication about the the attitudes and thoughts based on spirituality disagreement; arguing persistently for one's position, basically predominate the society, the recourse to taking control of the interaction, and advocating metaphysics or spirituality in various religions of this one's position. regions from Islamic and Christianity, Jewish to These scales may be used to identify persons Buddhism, Hinduism …all are concerned with who presumably react more or less turning to the spiritual, divine world which prevents Strongly to social pressure, and can be employed their views from being affected by the influential in internationally comparative research to identify media. societies that have a particularly pronounced desire That is why in eastern societies, as opposed to for consensus. Accordingly, the mechanisms of the west( who are to base to pragmatism and losed speaking out and falling silent described within the real & trust) the primary groups such as family, framework of the spiral of silence ought to be clearly colleagues, friends and relatives have a more active evident in these societies. role in social life, and the media have a lesser influence on changing people’s ideas. In Islamic Conclusion: arguing for a return to a: societies also numerous recommendations of Islam regarding social interactions, visiting relatives, and Macro focus in spiral of silence research in eastern the rights of relatives and neighbors lead to the socities: growth of people's social relationships, thus reducing the influence of the media. A stronger focus of macroscopic variables and a Another point is the prejudices that have deeply stronger emphasis on cross-cultural research has the taken root in the individual and secure him in facing potential to promote theory building in this area. with any wind of new information. These prejudices Putnam and Wilson's (1982) scale of conflict have an intertwined relationship with molded dimensions, for example, was not designed to tap thoughts. It is more correct to say that prejudices cross cultural differences. If applied to spiral of emerge through the molded thoughts. silence research in a cross cultural setting, however, People's silence against the majority-opinion it might be useful in three areas. which is expressed by the media, is a difficult issue if First, measures of conflict styles can serve as it does not correspond to the molded thoughts which measures of a phenomenon that Noelle-Neumann lie in the individual's unconscious. People calls hardcore or Avant grades, tapping the degree to unconsciously insist on the molded thoughts and

1522 Adv. Environ. Biol., 7(8): 1517-1526, 2013 prejudices which derive from values, beliefs, and The influence of the media in general, and the faith in their religious teachings, and do not easily development of the silence spiral depend to a large replace them with the opinion imposed upon them by extent on the cultural and native grounds of the the media. society which is influenced by the media. Even Noel However, one should bear in mind that the Newman himself also makes it clear that the media play the major role in the culture of society, thorough study of the public thought should also deal and they play this role not only by reflecting the with the atmosphere in which the opinion is created. culture, but also through participation in cultural This would be possible by asking people questions, formation. The role of the media is complex: not only about their own opinions, but also about On the one hand: they are part of the processes what they think of others' opinions and of the from which culture is derived and formed, and on the political status, and of how they predict its other, they play a role on a stage where the social and development in the future. cultural life permeates it. Media have the major role In western societies, the media have turned into in shaping the structure of different issues for the took that provide information and recreation. perceptive public. Investigations show that people also consider the Many scientists believe that ideas are not media as the primary sources of information. The invented, rather, they are discovered, and that is, they inhabitants of western societies are the citizens of a turn into a new form. With respect to the human world which the media have constructed for their being, it should be muted that imitation is the existence and for the expansion of the scope of constitutive principle of human communities, and Business, and their rule and power. That is to say, that an individual often imitates another individual, people who have become fascinated with the virtual because he is also imitated by the others. New world constructed by technologies, and in a sense opinions are communicated though the social owe their lives to technology, worship the media and movement of imitation. whatever they consider as the majority, see it as We know that an individual in a group acts in a conforming to the rule of the majority, and destroy way that is different from the way he acts when their opinions in an aura of fear of isolation. It is alone. Studies indicate that even if an individual be clear that in Asian/Eastern/Islamic societies, people acts logically and his behavior is always rational, and have always been cynical of technology, and have thinks and understands something before he acts; and always sought to avoid it, to the extent that they does not accept other people's opinions until he considered the use of the new means of technology considers their advantages and disadvantages, he, as a kind of national, religious aberration. however, when comes among his close relatives, he In such circumstances, the change of opinion or forgets about logical thinking. imitating the media, which are latest communicative In All port's view, fearing other's bad a judgment technology of the contemporary world, would not be causes this state, because we know that a group never appropriate. Multi-faceted ignorance is concerned forgives those who try to disrupt the unity in it. with a situation in which the mass of people are When judgment is concerned with the analysis ignorant of their agreement (implied) about a subject. of public thoughts, one of the majorities; Tocqueville In this case if people (wrongly) assume that there is has called this rule "despotism of the majority". He no disagreement, this assumption might keep them argues that the rule of the majority, which is so from revealing their real opinions. In these important to democracy, is a pressure for conforming circumstances, publicity for the opinion of the ruling to the rules: The foundation of the moral emperor of minority, in a surprising way is understood by the the majority of the majority should be preferred to public, and creates the assumption that people will the interests of the minority should be preferred to quickly join this new opinion. In other words, here the interests of the minority. we are dealing with a situation in which people Indeed, such an approach is more common in apparently (social actors) inhabit a "false" social western societies ethics are based on liberal world or at least a world totally different from the democracy, pragmatism, in that in most eastern real worlds which the researchers have scientifically societies what constitutes the main center of the observed. political systems and social mores is spirituality /god/ In this theory, the social-professional position, divine religions and the holy books, and what has age and sex are effective in shaping the public mostly been stressed in them is the latent intention thought, but have no influence on personal opinions. and though of people in their deeds, in contrast to the This means that it does not change the influence of media which express the reality of the events, but in the individual's thoughts (who does not change his an aura of falsehood. opinion), but it influences his awareness of whether Heavenly, divine religions have all or not he has a place in public thought. A person who recommended the necessity of people's autonomy in sees that his opinion differs from that which is their thoughts even when they disagree with other presented in the media, leaves the public space, and people. turns to private space.

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Individual differences, and social-cultural in the social life of people, and the cultural dependence also play a role in this difference, but background does not worship technology, as the these factors finally depend on the extent to which western culture does, and escaping from technology they are used. is regarded as value, and if people are not proud of Another point which is worth noting is that their citizenship in the reconstructed virtual world during the researches done on the human brain, through the media, and do not compete with one experts have discovered the relationship between another over it ,… and if the other numerous emotions and the partial stimulation of brain in conditions are consolidated on the basis of an different times during different events. The cerebral absolute, spiritual power, them silence is the last cortex is in the last, outer layer of the brain which is choice people make when they encounter the opinion the farthest from the center of the brain. Numerous of the majority. which take place and the messages the individual The supreme human values compel their receives, first enter the central part of the brain, and believers to act in many circumstances. For instance, then if they need logical analysis, they are conveyed when a seemingly powerful tyrant oppresses a to the outer parts. helpless person, and the individual who adheres to In the process of the development of silence there supreme values cannot practically an stage a spiral, it would be interesting that because people are rally, and before the cameras of the correspondents influenced by the false space of the media, first the of the international media justifies his cry in such a message of the media as to the warning about the way that least he can do when facing the tyranny of isolation in the case of expressing the opposite the powerful majority over the week minority is that opinion that of the media, enters the central parts of we should not be silent. In divine teachings there has the brain, forcing the individual to conform to the always been some hope that someday will come media. This event causes the individual to helplessly when the majority of believers in God and truth will and unintentionally accept the opinion of the media replace the minority of the unbelievers and without doing any kind of logical analysis and falsehood. thinking about the opinion of the media, and he And in the arena of communications also preferably chooses the easiest way possible when scientists always prevent the minority from facing the opinion of the media, i.e., Silence. remaining silent out of fear, when they see the However, according to the previously mentioned opinions of the minority as profoundly true. researches, data are gradually transferred from the As Stoetzel points out, we should always bear in emotional pant (brain center) to the logical part (near mind that "the today minority is capable of being the cortex), and by doing a rational analysis they realize tomorrow majority, because there is change in the falsehood of the media and find out that their opinions, just as there are social changes." opinion is not minority and that their silence is not right in necessary times. In this way the individual regrets remaining silent and being influenced by the media. References

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