Do you speak your mind in public and in private? Do you hold your political views, even if you are in the minority? A Populace Insight study reveals significant discrepancies between what people express depending on the environment they are in. Something that may seem trivial, but which, according to the organization, "presents a false polarization, erodes trust and holds back social progress."
The idea of conducting this survey came from observing the discrepancies between the opinions offered by the polls against reality. "Polls have consistently revealed that most Americans, across all demographics, feel they cannot share their honest opinions in public for fear of offending others or incurring retaliation."
Much more extreme in public
Beyond the anecdotal evidence of the existence of a double face in many citizens, the survey warns of the "falsification of preferences" that has been detected. That is, the misrepresentation of personal opinions in public. If generalized, a parallel reality is created, in which people are guided by false references as opposed to what is really happening. In fact, the study indicates that participants were much more extreme in public than at home.
According to the survey, Hispanics, independents and millennials are the groups that self-censor the most because of what they refer to as "social pressure." On the opposite side, we find that Republican and Democratic voters have the least trouble openly defending their positions.
The conservative turn of millennials
Erin Norman, senior messaging strategist for State Policy Network, highlights in The Hill:
Millennials, who have led the progressive left over the past decade but have recently shifted from youth activism to the responsibilities of parenthood, are privately much more conservative when it comes to educational issues. Three-quarters privately believe that parents should have more influence on school curricula (+26 points compared to their public opinion) and are much more hesitant privately about racism and gender ideology being taught in schools.
Abortion, masks, school...
Among the most notable discrepancies were the position of men on abortion, the usefulness of the use of masks versus Covid, and parental involvement in schools. According to the document, "the majority of men (60%), agree the decision to have an abortion should be left to a woman and her doctor; however, in private that number is only 45%. In addition, most men (52%) publicly say that 'abortion should be legal in most cases,' but in private that is not the majority view (48%)."
The vast majority (74%) of respondents in their 30s and 40s privately think that parents should have more influence over public school curricula, but only 48% are willing to say so in public. A 22-point discrepancy...
Success of politicians for "telling it like it is."
Regarding the use of facemasks to stop the pandemic, 59% of Americans publicly agreed that it was an effective way to stop the spread of Covid. However, only 47% hold that opinion in private (a difference of 12 points).
According to Norman, this two-sidedness can explain two political phenomena. On the one hand, "why trust in American institutions has plummeted in recent years." And on the other hand, -where Norman gives good cause to analyze- "the rise of political candidates of otherwise questionable experience and ability that have been successful with a simple “say it like it is” campaign strategy."
