veracity of the spiral of silence to high school students of bmsls

Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theoryto High School Students at Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School

(S.Y. 2014-2015)

Fritz Earlin Therese Pondantesa, Harold Jay Abatayob,Charie Mae Catanec, Sam Laurence Manapsald

aCollege of Arts and SciencesLa Salle UniversityOzamiz City 7200

bCollege of Computer StudiesLa Sallle UniversityOzamiz City 7200

cSchool of Tourism and Hospitality ManagementLa Salle UniversityOzamiz City 7200

dCollege of Engineering and ArchitectureLa Salle UniversityOzamiz City 7200

Keywords: Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory, Spiral of Silence, opinion,Quantitative Design

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory to High School students.The Spiral of Silence Theory elucidates that an individual is unwilling to publicly express his/her opinion ifhe/she believes that he/she is in the minority. The importance of this study is that the researchers are able toinvestigate how the Spiral of Silence Theory applies to the high school students This study had 145respondents from the high school students of Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School (BMSLS), fromGrade 7 to Grade 10. The school is an extension of La Salle University (LSU). The study used QuantitativeDesign. Among the samples collected, 13 were invalid and discarded. The remaining 145 samples wereincluded for the data gathering. The researchers administered one set of questionnaire: Willingness toSelf-Censor Questionnaire by Hayes, Glynn, & Shanahan. These items were adapted by the researcherswith some modifications. In addition, the researchers therefore conclude that the veracity of the Spiral ofSilence theory is apparent and applies to the high school students of Brother Martin Simpson LaboratorySchool.

Introduction

Rationale of the Study

Individuals, whether different or not, have various stands and opinions in certain

issues, owing to the beliefs and principles they stand for. Although, in some cases, one is

not really able to willingly express his/her opinion in the public. No matter how his/her

opinion is different from the others, he/she tends to keep silent and the individual tends to

suppress his/her opinion when they know that their opinion is not the same with the

majority. Thus, this leads them to isolate their opinions to themselves, and would rather

choose to keep silent than speak about it publicly to avoid isolation. In line with this

situation, one will more likely choose what the majoritys opinion will be, and the less

likely will one be able to publicly announce his/her opinion.

The spiral of silence theory has mostly been appreciated by scholars of political

communication, and has been studied in several forms to test the willingness of

individuals to speak out about controversial topics (Malaspina, 2014). If they perceive

that they share their opinions with the majority, they may be willing to speak out.

Alternatively, if they perceive their opinions to be those of the minority, they will keep

silent or conform to the majority view.

This study is conducted to test how the Spiral of Silence applies, how it works

among high school students of BMSLS, and what situations are encountered where one is

inclined to choose the majority opinion instead of choosing his/her own.

The researchers investigated this phenomenon to prove the veracity of the study

among the selected students for the study. Through this research, the researchers were

able to know the reliability of the theory if it really does apply to the high school students

of the target school.

Theoretical Background

Theoretical Framework

This study entitled Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory to High School

Students at Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School is derived from German political

scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumanns theory in the field of Mass Communication which

is the Spiral of Silence. This theory elucidates that people will be unwilling to publicly

express their opinion if they believe they are in the minority. They will also be more vocal

if they believe they are a part of the majority. Thus, the more marginalized you become,

the less you speak and so spiral into a fully marginal position.

Noelle-Neumann's spiral of silence is a theory that explains the growth and spread

of public opinion. As founder and director of the Public Opinion Research Center in

Allensbach (the German counterpart of America's Gallup poll organization), she has come

to recognize the power of public opinion (Griffin, 2014).

The phrase "Spiral of Silence" actually refers to how people tend to remain silent

when they feel that their views are in the minority.

There are core assumptions and statements included in this theory. According to

Noelle-Neumann, the theory is founded on three key ideas: 1) people have a

"quasi-statistical organ," a sixth-sense if you will call it, which allows them to know the

prevailing public opinion, even without access to polls, 2) people have a fear of isolation

and know what behaviours will increase their likelihood of being socially isolated, and 3)

people are reticent to express their minority views, primarily out of fear of being isolated

(Nuemann, 1989). Those who favor the majority position are more willing to express

their views than those who belong to the minority faction. People are more willing to

speak to those who share their thoughts than to those who disagree. When you fear

isolation, friends are safer than foes.

Since people can tell when they are out of sync with public opinion for holding

views that aren't in favor, everyone might expect those who see themselves in the

minority to keep silent. This is precisely what Noelle-Neumann predicts:

Individuals who ... notice that their own personal opinion is spreading and istaken over by others, will voice this opinion self-confidently in public. On theother hand, individuals who notice that their own opinions are losing ground, willbe inclined to adopt a more reserved attitude (p.376).

The closer a person believes the opinion held is similar to the prevailing public

opinion, the more they are willing to openly disclose that opinion in public. Then, if public

sentiment changes, the person will recognize that the opinion is less in favour and will be

less willing to express that opinion publicly. As the perceived distance between public

opinion and a person's personal opinion grows, the more unlikely the person is to express

their opinion.

When an individual agrees with a publicly accepted opinion, the self-confidence of

the individual is boosted. As the individual does not need to fear isolation, he will feel more

confident to cut down the ideas of those who do not share his view. However, the more one

feels that his views are not shared with others, the more uncertain he will feel, and the less

likely he will be to share his opinion publicly. Noelle-Neumanns study found that those

most likely to speak out, even when their views differ from those of the majority are: men,

younger persons, executive and high-level workers, and those in the middle to upper

classes (Geukjian, McGuckin, Bugden, & Dykstra, 2010).

The Spiral of Silence theory also supports how individuals on social media sites

would express their opinion. Social networks are in some ways having the opposite

effect of what their inventors probably intended to create. People are living increasingly

in echo chambers where they only hear opinions that match their own, and are less likely

to express contrary opinions for fear of being shouted down by their online circle of

friends (Hampton, et al., 2014).

Schematic Diagram

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Intervening Variable

Figure 1. Schematic view of the relationship among variables.

Figure 1 presents the variables of the study. The conversation is the independent

variable, the opinion of the student as the dependent variable, and the opinion of the

majority as the intervening variable.

Conversation

MajorityOpinion

Self Opinion

Conceptual Framework

From the given schematic diagram above, the independent variable is the

conversation. It is the independent variable since it is the variable you have control

over, what you can choose and manipulate. It is usually what you think will affect

the dependent variable. Next, the variable that depends on the independent variable will

be the individuals opinion. Supposed that a group of friends is conversing with a certain

issue. The issue is where an opinion is based from.

However, according to the Spiral of Silence theory, it actually refers to how

people tend to remain silent when they feel that their views are in the minority. Here, the

intervening variable will be the majority opinion. One is not able to express his/her

opinion when his/her views is on the minority, thus, one will choose to go with what they

agree on, rather on supporting what his/her opinion is.

The Research Problem

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to investigate the veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory during

group conversations of high school students enrolled at Brother Martin Simpson

Laboratory School (BMSLS), for school year 2014-2015 when conversing with their

group of friends.

More specifically, the study also sought to answer the following questions:

1. How likely do the students from BMSLS suppress their opinions on relevant issues

when conversing with their friends?

2. What are the responses of the participants on the questionnaires regarding the veracity

of the Spiral of Silence theory when grouped by:

a. Gender, and;

b. Year level?

3. Is there a significant difference between the responses of males and females on the

veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory?

4. Are there significant differences on the responses regarding the veracity of the Spiral

of Silence theory relative to grade level groupings?

Significance of the Study

The study conducted validates the veracity of the Spiral of Silence theory among

High school students from Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School (BMSLS). The

importance of this study is that the researchers are able to investigate how the Spiral of

Silence Theory applies to the high school students of the chosen school, which includes

the significant differences organized by their sex and year level, as well as the situations

which would prove the veracity of the theory among the students.

This section also presents a brief description of the significance of the study to the

following particular beneficiaries:

Students. It is hoped that with this study, students may know and understand

themselves better and thus recognize their opinions more.

School. This study is hoped to give an additional support in the perceptive and

social development of the students.

Future Researchers. This study shall provide and help the future researchers gain

additional source of information in their future research endeavors.

Research Methodology

Research Design

The study utilized the survey approach of Quantitative research. The said

approach is used as means of testing objective theories as the researchers examine the

relationships among the variables included. It also requires statistical analysis.

Research Environment

The research environment of the study is Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory

School (BMSLS). BMSLS is an extension of the following schools: La Salle University-

Integrated School (LSU-IS) and La Salle University (LSU). It is located on La Salle

Street, Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental in Region 10, Philippines. The school is named

after the first Brother who visited Ozamiz, Brother Dominic Martin Simpson.

La Salle University-Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School (LSU-BMSLS) is

a semi-private school for the indigenous children. The school is one of the scholarship

programs for the less-fortunate.

Research Participants

The research participants involved in this study are the High school students of La

Salle University, Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School (BMSLS) from grade level

7 to 10. For this research, the sample population is the high school students of Brother Martin

Simpson Laboratory School. 158 respondents are selected to complete the questionnaire. All

respondents are willing to complete the survey questions.

The group used Stratified Random Sampling. In this sampling technique, the

researchers got random samples in a total population of 198 from the high school students

of the school. From each of these sections, the sample size was drawn from the sampling

population of 158.

Research Data

By the use of the survey questionnaires, the researchers obtained the following

data: The significant differences of responses according to grade levels, the significant

differences of responses among the males and females, respondents profile and responses,

and the responses of the students as grouped by year level and sex.

Research Instruments

The survey questionnaire of this study is comprised of 20 situations, with

relevance to the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence. The first 8 items were developed by

Andrew F. Hayes, Carroll J. Glynn and James for the study Willingness to Self-Censor:

A Construct and Measurement Tool for Public Opinion Research (Hayes, Glynn, &

Shanahan, 2005). These items were adapted by the researchers with some modifications.

In addition, 12 more items were drafted by the researchers for this study.

The data collecting utilized in the study is composed of two parts: the first one is

the Participants Profile. The researchers made this instrument to organize the profile of

the student respondents. The sex and year level are indicated in this instrument. The 2nd

part is the survey questionnaire. This instrument is where the indicators are found.

Indicators are the situations mostly encountered by students which will determine the

veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory among high school students of Brother Martin

Simpson Laboratory School (BMSLS).

The survey on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence used the following:

a. Likert Scale. A Likert scale is a psychometric scale commonly involved in

research that employs questionnaires. A numerical value is assigned to each

potential choice and a mean figure for all the responses is computed at the end of

the evaluation or survey.

b. Rating Scale. A rating scale is a set of categories designed to elicit information

about a quantitative attribute with 0.8 Chronbach alpha as the interval.

The following rating scale is used in the present study:

Rating Scale Verbal Interpretation1.00-1.79 Never1.79-2.59 Seldom2.59-3.39 Sometimes3.40-4.19 Frequently4.19-5.00 Always

Research Tools

The tools utilized in the study are laptops, printer and website. The laptop is used for

the input of the gathered data and results, and the printer would produce the hard copy.

The researchers also used the website to search for related information regarding the

study conducted.

Research Procedures

Preliminary Procedure. The data for this research were collected using a survey

questionnaire. The survey was created using suitable questions modified from related

research and individual questions formed by the researcher. The survey was comprised of

20 questions, which included situations encountered by the students regarding the Spiral

of Silence theory.

158 hard copies of the survey questionnaires were produced for the respondents of

the study. The researchers personally asked and gave a letter of permission to the

Principal of BMSLS to conduct the study. After the Principal validated the letter and the

questionnaire, the researchers then proceeded to the advisors of each class to inform them

of the research to be conducted. After being permitted, the questionnaires were

distributed first to the 4th year students, the 3rd years, the 2nd years, and lastly the 1st

years of Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School.

The researchers assured confidentiality of their survey sheets since the identities

are not important. The researchers also understood that peoples consciousness may also

affect their honesty and effectiveness in answering the survey, and so, the researchers

gave people the option of being anonymous. Participants were given time to respond and

then the researchers collected the surveys after being answered. There were no incentives

offered for participating in the research.

Data Gathering Process. High school student respondents from BMSLS are given

and asked to rate the situations indicated in the questionnaire. This is to determine the

veracity of the theory Spiral of Silence among high school students of BMSLS. All

appropriately fulfilled questionnaires has been retrieved, prepared, organized, and

compiled for analysis of data.

Treatment of Data. In getting the sample size, the group used Slovins formula to

get the sampling size of the students from the total population of the whole high school

students which is 198. The data collected were analysed.

The researchers gathered 158 participants for the survey of the Veracity of the

Spiral of Silence Theory. Among the samples collected, 13 samples were invalid and

discarded. The remaining 145 samples were included for the data gathering.

Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation of Data

This level is consists of results and discussions, presentation and interpretation of data.

Presentation and Analysis

The table below presents the responses of the students from grade level 7 to 10 on

the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.

Table 1

Responses of students on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence.

Situations WeightedMeanVerbal

Interpretation1. I speak my opinion only around friends or other people I trust. 3.97 Frequently2. When I disagree with others, I would rather go along with them

than argue about it.3.50 Frequently

3. I would feel uncomfortable if someone asked my opinion and Iknew that he or she would not agree with me.

3.43 Frequently

4. I always go with the majority opinion. 3.39 Sometimes5. I only speak my mind when I know we dont agree with each

other.3.37 Sometimes

6. It is safer to keep quiet than publicly speak an opinion that Iknow most others do not share or agree with.

3.37 Sometimes

7. It is difficult for me to express my opinion if I think others willnot agree with what I say.

3.32 Sometimes

8. I will share my opinion if we do not agree with each other. 3.32 Sometimes9. There have been many times when I have thought others around

me were wrong but I did not let them know.3.30 Sometimes

10. I would rather keep quiet if my opinion is different than be leftalone.

3.28 Sometimes

11. I would rather keep quiet and choose to go with the majorityopinion despite knowing what I stand for.

3.27 Sometimes

12. Even if my friends agree with the same opinion, I should speakout mine.

3.25 Sometimes

13. If I disagree with others, I have no problem letting them know it. 3.15 Sometimes14. I highly appreciate others opinion rather than mine. 3.14 Sometimes15. I will express my opinion no matter what. 3.13 Sometimes16. I easily back down when I know that my opinion is not agreed by

the others.3.11 Sometimes

17. I will not speak if my opinion is not worthy of being heard. 3.11 Sometimes18. I am more likely to express even if others do not agree with me. 2.98 Sometimes19. I believe that my opinion should be known despite others view. 2.95 Sometimes20. It is easy for me to express my opinion around others who I think

will disagree with me.2.91 Sometimes

AVERAGE WEIGHTED MEAN 3.26 Sometimes

This table reveals that the students frequently express their opinion around friends

or other people they trust which ranked the highest, followed by When I disagree with

others, I would rather go along with them than argue about it. It is apparent in this

results that the students are more likely to hide their opinion, unless it is around people

they trust.

The suppression of the students personal opinion is apparent in the relevant

issues with the least mean average. It is easy for them to express their opinion around

others who they think will disagree with them, which ranked the least at table 1,

suggests that they sometimes are not able to express their opinion to the others if the

majority disagrees.

The table below presents the responses of the male participants on the

questionnaires regarding the veracity of the Spiral of Silence theory.

Table 2.1

Responses of Male students on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.

Situations WeightedMeanVerbal

Interpretation1. I speak my opinion only around friends or other people I

trust.3.93 Frequently

2. I always go with the majority opinion. 3.31 Sometimes3. I will share my opinion if we do not agree with each other. 3.30 Sometimes4. If I disagree with others, I have no problem letting them

know it.3.25 Sometimes

5. I only speak my mind when I know we dont agree witheach other.

3.25 Sometimes


3.24 Sometimes

7. Even if my friends agree with the same opinion, I shouldspeak out mine.

3.24 Sometimes

8. When I disagree with others, I would rather go along withthem than argue about it.

3.22 Sometimes

9. I would feel uncomfortable if someone asked my opinionand I knew that he or she would not agree with me.

3.21 Sometimes

10. There have been many times when I have thought othersaround me were wrong but I did not let them know.

3.19 Sometimes

11. I will express my opinion no matter what. 3.18 Sometimes12. I highly appreciate others opinion rather than mine. 3.15 Sometimes13. It is difficult for me to express my opinion if I think others

will not agree with what I say.3.13 Sometimes

14. I would rather keep quiet if my opinion is different than beleft alone.

3.10 Sometimes

15. I easily back down when I know that my opinion is notagreed by the others.

3.09 Sometimes


3.06 Sometimes

17. I will not speak if my opinion is not worthy of being heard. 3.06 Sometimes18. It is easy for me to express my opinion around others who I

think will disagree with me.3.03 Sometimes

19. I am more likely to express even if others do not agree withme.

3.03 Sometimes

20. I believe that my opinion should be known despite othersview.

2.93 Sometimes


I speak my opinion only around friends or other people I trust has a weighted

mean of 3.93 and with a verbal interpretation of frequently ranked first while I believe

that my opinion should be known despite others view ranked the least. It is deduced that

the student is more likely to express his/her opinion only around people he/she can trust.

On the other hand, it can also be deduced that he/she is likely hides his/her opinion.

Thus, he/she is likely able to express his/her opinion the least. If the student

would rather speak out their opinion without restrictions, this situation should rank more,

at least.

The table below presents the responses of the female students on the veracity of

the spiral of silence.

Table 2.2

Responses of the Female students on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.Situation Weighted

MeanVerbal

Interpretation1. I speak my opinion only around friends or other people I trust. 3.98 Frequently2. There have been many times when I have thought others around

me were wrong but I did not let them know.3.96 Frequently

3. When I disagree with others, I would rather go along with themthan argue about it.

3.72 Frequently

4. I will not speak if my opinion is not worthy of being heard. 3.57 Frequently5. I would feel uncomfortable if someone asked my opinion and I

knew that he or she would not agree with me.3.49 Frequently

6. It is difficult for me to express my opinion if I think others willnot agree with what I say.

3.48 Frequently


3.46 Frequently


3.44 Frequently

9. I always go with the majority opinion. 3.44 Frequently10. I would rather keep quiet if my opinion is different than be left

alone.3.41 Frequently

11. I believe that my opinion should be known despite others view. 3.39 Sometimes12. I will share my opinion if we do not agree with each other. 3.34 Sometimes13. Even if my friends agree with the same opinion, I should speak

out mine.3.25 Sometimes

14. I will only speak my mind when I know we dont agree with eachother.

3.15 Sometimes

15. I easily back down when I know that my opinion is not agreed bythe others.

3.12 Sometimes

16. I highly appreciate others opinion rather than mine. 3.12 Sometimes17. I will express my opinion no matter what. 3.08 Sometimes18. If I disagree with others, I have no problem letting them know it. 3.06 Sometimes19. I am more likely to express even if others do not agree with me. 2.93 Sometimes20. It is easy for me to express my opinion around others who I think

will disagree with me.2.81 Sometimes


It is revealed that this table has more situations with a verbal interpretation of

Frequently such as I speak my opinion only around friends or other people I trust and

When I disagree with others, I would rather go along with them than argue about it.

The situations mentioned suggests that the majority of the students would rather

keep their opinions hidden than expressing it.

This table presents the comparison of female and male opinions regarding to veracity of

the spiral silence.

The table below indicates the comparison of the AWM between males and females

towards the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory including the verbal interpretation of

data.

Table 2.3

Comparison of the Average Weighted Mean of Males and Females (n=145)

Gender AverageWeighted Mean

VerbalInterpretation

Male 3.19 Sometimes

Female 3.36 Sometimes

Table 4 shows us that the Female respondents have greater average weighted

mean than the males which has an AWM of 3.19. Both sex has a verbal interpretation of

Sometimes. Although both sexes garnered a verbal interpretation of sometimes, they

have different weighted mean. It is deduced that the females have a greater mean than the

males, and it can be assumed that the females suppress their opinions more.

The table below presents the grade 7 responses on the veracity of the spiral of silence

theory.

Table 2.4

Responses from Grade 7 students on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.Situations Weighted

MeanVerbal




3.55 Frequently

3. There have been many times when I have thought othersaround me were wrong but I did not let them know.

3.47 Frequently


3.38 Sometimes

5. If I disagree with others, I have no problem letting themknow about it.

3.36 Sometimes

6. I highly appreciate others opinion rather than mine. 3.27 Sometimes7. I would rather keep quiet and choose to go with the majority

opinion despite knowing what I stand for.3.19 Sometimes

8. I will not speak if my opinion is not worthy of being heard. 3.19 Sometimes9. I am more likely to express even if others do not agree with

me.3.16 Sometimes


3.13 Sometimes

11. I always go with the majority opinion. 3.11 Sometimes12. I only speak my mind when I know we dont agree with each

other.3.11 Sometimes


3.11 Sometimes

14. It is difficult for me to express my opinion if I think otherswill not agree with what I say.

3.08 Sometimes

15. I will express my opinion no matter what. 3.05 Sometimes16. I would feel uncomfortable if someone asked my opinion

and I knew that he or she would not agree with me.2.97 Sometimes


2.97 Sometimes

18. I will share my opinion if we do not agree with each other. 2.94 Sometimes19. It is easy for me to express my opinion around others who I



2.83 Sometimes


Table 5 reveals that the first 3 situations I speak my opinion only around friends

or other people I trust, I would rather keep quiet if my opinion is different than be left

alone, and There have been many times when I have thought others around me were

wrong but I did not let them know which suggests that majority of the responses from

the students agree that their opinions should not be known.

The situation with the least average mean which is I believe that my opinion

should be known despite others view suggests that the ability to speak out is the least

scenario that would be chosen by the student.


theory.

Table 2.6

Responses of Grade 8 Students on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.Situations Weighted

MeanVerbal


trust.4.37 Always


3.82 Frequently


3.77 Frequently


3.77 Frequently


3.65 Frequently


3.62 Frequently


3.54 Frequently

8. I always go with the majority opinion. 3.54 Frequently9. I will share my opinion if we do not agree with each other. 3.51 Frequently10. There have been many times when I have thought others

around me were wrong but I did not let them know.3.45 Frequently


3.42 Frequently

12. I will express my opinion no matter what. 3.34 Sometimes13. Even if my friends agree with the same opinion, I should

speak out mine.3.31 Sometimes


3.28 Sometimes


3.25 Sometimes

16. If I disagree with others, I have no problem letting themknow it.

3.2 Sometimes

17. I will not speak if my opinion is not worthy of being heard. 3.2 Sometimes18. I believe that my opinion should be known despite others

view.3.17 Sometimes

19. I highly appreciate others opinion rather than mine. 3.17 Sometimes20. It is easy for me to express my opinion around others who I


AVERAGE WEIGHTED MEAN 3.46 Frequently

I speak my opinion only around friends or other people I trust situation has a

verbal interpretation of Always. The situation that ranked the least is It is easy for me

to express my opinion around others who I think will disagree with me suggests that the

student is least likely to express his/her opinion around others who will disagree with

him/her.


theory.

Table 2.7

Responses of Grade 9 students on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.Situation Weighted

MeanVerbal




3.53 Frequently


3.46 Frequently


3.43 Frequently


3.40 Frequently

6. I always go with the majority opinion. 3.40 Frequently7. There have been many times when I have thought others

around me were wrong but I did not let them know.3.37 Sometimes

8. I will not speak if my opinion is not worthy of being heard. 3.31 Sometimes9. I highly appreciate others opinion rather than mine. 3.28 Sometimes10. It is difficult for me to express my opinion if I think others

will not agree with what I say.3.25 Sometimes


3.25 Sometimes


3.21 Sometimes


3.18 Sometimes


3.15 Sometimes

15. I will express my opinion no matter what. 3.09 Sometimes16. I will share my opinion if we do not agree with each other. 3.06 Sometimes17. It is easy for me to express my opinion around others who I



2.87 Sometimes


2.87 Sometimes


2.81 Sometimes


The situation I would rather keep quiet if my opinion is different than be left

alone which ranked third with a verbal interpretation of Frequently means that the

students would rather suppress his/her opinion to avoid isolation which is one of the

premises of the Spiral of Silence theory. This suggests that most of the students encounter

this scenario.

The table below presents the responses of the Grade 10 students on the veracity of

the spiral of silence theory.

Table 2.8

Responses of Grade 10 students on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.Situations Weighted

MeanVerbal




3.68 Frequently

3. I always go with the majority opinion. 3.50 Frequently4. I only speak my mind when I know we dont agree with

each other.3.50 Frequently


3.48 Frequently


3.38 Sometimes


3.35 Sometimes


3.33 Sometimes


3.33 Sometimes

10. I will share my opinion if we do not agree with each other. 3.28 Sometimes11. There have been many times when I have thought others

around me were wrong but I did not let them know.3.07 Sometimes


3.05 Sometimes


3.00 Sometimes


3.00 Sometimes

15. I will express my opinion no matter what. 3.00 Sometimes16. I believe that my opinion should be known despite others

view.2.93 Sometimes

17. It is easy for me to express my opinion around others who Ithink will disagree with me.

2.85 Sometimes

18. I highly appreciate others opinion rather than mine. 2.85 Sometimes19. I will not speak if my opinion is not worthy of being heard. 2.83 Sometimes20. I am more likely to express even if others do not agree with

me.2.83 Sometimes

WEIGHTED AVERAGE MEAN 3.20 Sometimes

I always go with the majority opinion which ranked third with a verbal

interpretation of Frequently suggests that the students are more likely to suppress

his/her opinion when his/her view is not in favor by everyone.

The table below presents the summary of the weighted mean of all grade levels.

Table 2.9

Summary of the Weighted Mean of all Grade Levels (n=145)

Grade Levels Average WeightedMean

VerbalInterpretation

Grade 7 3.14 SometimesGrade 8 3.46 FrequentlyGrade 9 3.25 Sometimes

Grade 10 3.20 Sometimes

Among the grade levels, the Grade 8 class is the only grade level which has

a verbal interpretation of Frequently, followed by the Grade 9, Grade 10, and then

Grade 7. This table suggests the Grade level who is more likely to apply the Spiral of

Silence theory is the grade level that earned an AWM of 4.46 which is the Grade 8.

This table shows the t-test statistic of the responses of both genders on the

Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.

Table 2.10

T-test statistic of the responses of males and females on the Veracity of the Spiral of

Silence Theory.

Males Females

Mean 3.199242424 3.313924051Variance 0.164345571 0.199483122Observations 66 79Df 142

t Stat -1.619385581P(T

The table below displays the summary of the responses from the students in all

grade level.

Table 3.1

Summary for the responses of grade levels 7 to 10 on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence

Theory.

Groups Count Sum Average Variance

Grade 7 36 109.45 3.127143 0.159021Grade 8 35 121.4 3.468571 0.224571Grade 9 34 110.4 3.247059 0.158021Grade 10 40 128.1 3.2025 0.155506

The table below shows the significant differences from the responses of the

students from all grade levels

Table 3.2

Significant differences for the responses of grade levels 7 to 10 on the Veracity of the

Spiral of Silence Theory.

Sum ofSquares

df Mean Square F p-value

Between Groups 2.176 3 .725 4.168 .007Within Groups 24.539 141 .174Total 26.715 144

This table used ANOVA to present the significant differences between the

responses of all grade levels. P value = 0.007 which is lesser than alpha = 0.05 shows that

there is a significant difference between the responses of the students by year level. It

elucidates that there is a significant difference from the responses of the students grouped

by grade level.

The table below presents the post-hoc test of the responses of all grade levels on

the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.

Table 3.3

Post-hoc test among all grade levels on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory.

(I) Year Level (J) Year Level Mean Difference (I-J) Std. Error p-value

Grade 7

Grade 8 -.32829* .10431 .015

Grade 9 -.10678 .09545 .838

Grade 10 -.06222 .09139 .983

Grade 8

Grade 7 .32829* .10431 .015

Grade 9 .22151 .10519 .209

Grade 10 .26607 .10151 .063

Grade 9

Grade 7 .10678 .09545 .838

Grade 8 -.22151 .10519 .209

Grade 10 .04456 .09239 .997

Grade 10

Grade 7 .06222 .09139 .983

Grade 8 -.26607 .10151 .063

Grade 9 -.04456 .09239 .997*. The mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level.

Basing from the results acquired from table 12, it is presented that there is a

significant difference from the responses of the students by grade level. The Post-hoc test

is conducted to figure the significant difference.

As presented by table 12.1, it is revealed that there is a significant difference

from grade level 7 with a P-value =.015 and grade level 8, still with a P-value of =.015. It

is deduced that the Spiral of Silence Theory greatly affects both the students from grade

level 7 and 8.

Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations

Summary

The study has included 158 high school students enrolled in the Academic year

2014-2015. 13 samples were invalid and discarded. The other remaining 145 samples

were used as data for the research. It was conducted at La Salle University- Brother

Martin Simpson Laboratory School (LSU-BMSLS). The study particularly intended to

find out the veracity of the Spiral of Silence theory to High school students of BMSLS.

Quantitative method of research design was used in the completion of the study.

The researchers administered one set of questionnaire: Willingness to Self-Censor

Questionnaire by Hayes, Glynn, & Shanahan. These items were adapted by the

researchers with some modifications. In addition, 12 more items were drafted by the

researchers for this study.

Interpretations were made from the data and findings. Eventually, the findings

were used as the basis for conclusions and recommendations.

Salient Findings

The data gathered were analyzed and the findings are as follows:

a. Majority of the students speaks his/her opinion only around friends or other

people they trust.

b. Most situations that illustrates about suppression of ones opinion is found to

support the veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theory among the high school

students of BMSLS.

c. Situations that illustrates ones willingness to express his/her opinion is found to

rank the least which suggests that the students avoid to choose his/her opinion and

would rather go along with the majority.

d. Situations that ranked the highest were conditions that would show the

suppression of ones opinion to the public.

Conclusions

In the investigation, the researchers therefore conclude that the veracity of the

Spiral of Silence theory is apparent and applies to the high school students of Brother

Martin Simpson Laboratory School.

Recommendations

Based on the findings and conclusion of the study, the following

recommendations were established:

1. That the students should be encouraged to express more and should not be

deprived of a chance to speak out.

2. That the opinions of the students should be recognized and given due respect as

well as value.

3. That a study related to this topic be conducted for further verification and a more

in depth study.

References

Geukjian, S., McGuckin, D., Bugden, N., & Dykstra, K. (2010, November 23). Spiral ofSilence (Noelle-Neumann). Retrieved from EDUC5109:http://educ5102.wikispaces.com/Spiral+of+Silence+(Noelle-Neumann)

Griffin, E. (2014). A First Look at Communication Theory. Spiral of Silence, 372-374.

Hampton, K., Rainie, L., Lu, W., Dwyer, M., Shin, I., & Purcell, K. (2014, August 26).Social Media and the Spiral of Silence. Retrieved from Pew Internet Org:http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/08/26/social-media-and-the-spiral-of-silence/#fn-11806-1

Hayes, A. F., Glynn, C. J., & Shanahan, J. (2005, March 18). Willingness to Self-Censor:A Construct and Measurement Tool for Public Opinion Research. Retrieved fromInternational Journal of Public Opinion Research:http://ijpor.oxfordjournals.org/content/17/3/298.abstract

Malaspina, C. (2014). The Spiral of Silence and Social Media:. In B. Cammaerts, N.Anstead, & R. Garland, MEDIA@LSE MSc Dissertation Series (p. 14). HoughtonStreet, London: Media@LSE, London School of Economics and Political Science.

Nuemann, E. N. (2010, July 7). SPIRAL OF SILENCE. Retrieved from University ofTwenti:http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20Clusters/Media,%20Culture%20and%20Society/spiral_of_silence/

Appendix A

Veracity of the Spiral of Silence Theoryto High School Students at Brother Martin Simpson Laboratory School

(S.Y. 2014-2015)

TO THE RESPONDENTS: We, the researchers are conducting a research on Veracity of theSpiral of Silence Theory to High School Students at Brother Martin Simpson LaboratorySchool as a final requirement for the course English 121. With this regard, we humbly ask youto answer the questionnaire below. Rest assured that the information you give will be treated withutmost confidentiality. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

A. Participants Profile:(1.) Grade Level: 7 8 (2.)Sex: Male Female

9 10

B. Survey on the Veracity of the Spiral of Silence TheoryHow likely do the following situations happen in conversations with your friends?

Put a check mark () on the empty spaces below the number which corresponds to youranswer on the situation indicated. Answer as honestly as you can.

Rate your answers as:1- Never (N) 2- Seldom (S) 3- Sometimes (ST) 4- Frequently (F)

5- Always (A)

Situations 1(N)

2(S)

3(ST)

4(F)

5(A)

1 .It is difficult for me to express my opinion if I thinkothers will not agree with what I say.2. There have been many times when I have thoughtothers around me were wrong but I did not let themknow.3. When I disagree with others, I would rather go alongwith them than argue about it.4. I would rather keep quiet if my opinion is differentthan be left alone.5. It is easy for me to express my opinion around otherswho I think will disagree with me.6. I would feel uncomfortable if someone asked myopinion and I knew that he or she would not agree withme.

7. I speak my opinion only around friends or other

people I trust.8. It is safer to keep quiet than publicly speak an opinionthat I know most others do not share or agree with.9. If I disagree with others, I have no problem lettingthem know it.10. I would rather keep quiet and choose to go with themajority opinion despite knowing what I stand for.11. I will share my opinion if we do not agree with eachother.12. I always go with the majority opinion.13. I easily back down when I know that my opinion isnot agreed by the others.14. I believe that my opinion should be known despiteothers view.15. I only speak my mind when I know we dont agreewith each other.16. I highly appreciate others opinion rather than mine.17. Even if my friends agree with the same opinion, Ishould speak out mine.18. I will not speak if my opinion is not worthy of beingheard.19. I am more likely to express even if others do notagree with me.20. I will express my opinion no matter what.

*The 1st 8 items in the situations were developed by Andrew F. Hayes, Carroll J. Glynn and James (Hayes,Glynn, & Shanahan, 2005) for the study Willingness to Self-Censor: A Construct and Measurement Toolfor Public Opinion Research. These items were adapted by the researchers with some modifications. Inaddition, 12 more items were drafted by the researchers for this study.

veracity of the spiral of silence to high school students of bmsls

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