Barack Obama: Examining the Climate of Opinion of Spiral of Silence
Published: 2010
Author(s) Name: Stephen M. Croucher, Anthony T. Spencer, Connie McKee
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Abstract
This study examines the relationship between an
individual’s trust in media and their willingness to voice
their opinion about Barack Obama’s ethnicity during the
2008 Presidential Campaign. Results among 569 college
students reveal a significant positive correlation between
media trust and willingness to voice an opinion about
Obama’s ethnicity. Controlling for sex, education and
political affiliation, the relationship between these two
constructs increased significantly. Ultimately, the findings
reveal the significant influence of media on individual’s
willingness to voice opinions. The analysis calls for future
research into the causal relationship between media trust
and willingness to voice an opinion.
Keywords: Political, elections, ethnicity, candidacy,
opinions, climate of opinion, mass media.
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