Pluralistic Ignorance Research Articles

Public estimates of support for offshore wind energy: False consensus, pluralistic ignorance, and partisan effects

Meeting future energy demands will require large-scale implementation of renewable energy projects. If one of these energy sources—offshore wind—becomes a common sight off coastlines, consideration of local public opinion and action will be critical. Previous research from the social sciences has lacked depth in examining the underlying factors that shape public opinion towards offshore wind development. The current research brings a new perspective to the literature by showing that how members of the public perceive support among others relates to their own opinions of offshore wind energy. We report results from two surveys. The first focused on opinion formation relating to offshore wind in general among New England residents, while the second focused on a specific offshore wind project in Rhode Island. We find evidence that both supporters and opponents of offshore wind underestimate levels of support among others, indicating a pluralistic ignorance effect and false consensus effect, respectively. We also find distinct patterns of perceived support among self-identified Republicans and Democrats. The findings hold important implications for policymakers and developers in understanding the nature of public support and opposition for offshore wind energy, particularly with respect to individuals’ willingness to publicly engage with offshore wind projects.

I Want to but I Won't: Pluralistic Ignorance Inhibits Intentions to Take Paternity Leave in Japan.

The number of male employees who take paternity leave in Japan has been low in past decades. However, the majority of male employees actually wish to take paternity leave if they were to have a child. Previous studies have demonstrated that the organizational climate in workplaces is the major determinant of male employees' use of family-friendly policies, because males are often stigmatized and fear receiving negative evaluation from others. While such normative pressure might be derived from prevailing social practices relevant to people's expectation of social roles (e.g., “Men make houses, women make homes”), these social practices are often perpetuated even after the majority of group members have ceased to support them. The perpetuation of this unpopular norm could be caused by the social psychological phenomenon of pluralistic ignorance. While researches have explored people's beliefs about gender roles from various perspectives, profound understanding of these beliefs regarding gender role norms, and the accuracy of others' beliefs remains to be attained. The current research examined the association between pluralistic ignorance and the perpetually low rates of taking paternity leave in Japan. Specifically, Study 1 (n = 299) examined Japanese male employees' (ages ranging from the 20 s to the 40 s) attitudes toward paternity leave and to estimate attitudes of other men of the same age, as well as behavioral intentions (i.e., desire and willingness) to take paternity leave if they had a child in the future. The results demonstrated that male employees overestimated other men's negative attitudes toward paternity leave. Moreover, those who had positive attitudes toward taking leave and attributed negative attitudes to others were less willing to take paternity leave than were those who had positive attitudes and believed others shared those attitudes, although there was no significant difference between their desires to take paternity leave. Study 2 (n = 425) replicated these results and further indicated that they could not be explained by the participants' needs to be socially desirable. Together, our findings suggest that pluralistic ignorance occurs in the context of taking paternity leave in Japanese men, and this leads to the low use of available paternity leave.

Paternity harassment as an impression management strategy: an approach from pluralistic ignorance and false enforcement

Paternity harassment as an impression management strategy: an approach from pluralistic ignorance and false enforcement

Do Norms Emerging from Pluralistic Ignorance Affect Consensus Building on Distributive Justice?

Do Norms Emerging from Pluralistic Ignorance Affect Consensus Building on Distributive Justice?

Journalists and public relations practitioners: Comparing two countries

The existence and nature of conflict between the journalists and public relations practitioners has sparked a lot of interest in both academic fields. In a study conducted in 2016, we examined some elements of the relationship between public relations practitioners and journalists in Croatia.In this study we extend our previous research into another country – Serbia, and compare the results. Comparing the attitudes of Croatian and Serbian practitioners is essential for the expansion of public relations in those two countries, as well as for the development of global principles. The main goal of this study was to explore the relationship between the Serbian journalists and public relations practitioners. We used the coorientational model to analyze the perceptions and cross-perceptions of journalists and public relations practitioners on their role in organizational reputation building. Our results showed that the difference between the Croatian and Serbian practitioners is not in the general direction, but in the intensity of the connection. This means that the trends which exist among the Croatian public relations practitioners and journalists also exist among their Serbian colleagues, but that the level of understanding is different. In this study, both the journalists and public relations practitioners believe they have a significant influence on the organizational reputation. Both groups showed a certain level of pluralistic ignorance of the other side.The results of this study have pinpointed some interesting similarities as well as significant differences between the two groups of practitioners. Even though the trends in Croatia and Serbia are similar and show an increasing understanding between public relations practitioners and journalists, Serbia has quite an unhappy group of journalists and a very confident group of public relations practitioners. We have confirmed the findings suggesting that the situation has improved and that the animosity has been on the decline, but Serbia still has a long way to go. Just as we concluded in our previous study the only way forward in further improving this relationship is by educating the journalists about the specifics of the public relations practice and by raising the level of how each of the fields perceives the value of their own efforts.

Perceived Community Acceptance of Same-Sex Marriage: Persuasive Press, Projection, and Pluralistic Ignorance

Perceived Community Acceptance of Same-Sex Marriage: Persuasive Press, Projection, and Pluralistic Ignorance

Evaluations and Perceptions of Others' Evaluations of Negative Alcohol-Related Consequences Predict Negative Alcohol-Related Consequences Among College Drinkers.

A key assumption when assessing alcohol-related problems is that these problems are considered negative. A growing literature suggests that college drinkers do not perceive all measured consequences to be negative. Research has established the impact of others' beliefs on personal beliefs and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of perceptions of others' evaluations (POE) of consequences on one's own evaluations and subsequent experiences of consequences. A sample of 885 heavy drinking college students participated in a longitudinal study. Participants reported the number of alcoholic drinks consumed per week, experiences of alcohol-related problems, evaluations of those consequences, and perceptions of how typical university students evaluate those consequences. A moderated mediation of POE on negative alcohol-related consequences via evaluations of consequences at differing levels of alcohol consumption was conducted, with gender, baseline consequences, and intervention effects being controlled for. Results indicated that POE had no direct effect on subsequent consequences. However, an indirect effect was found through evaluations of consequences, such that there was a positive association between both POE and evaluations of consequences, and evaluations of consequences and subsequent consequences. Average weekly drinking moderated the association between POE and evaluations of consequences, such that the association between POE and evaluations of consequences was stronger for those who drank more heavily. Results are consistent with social cognition processes, such as pluralistic ignorance, and suggest that POE and evaluations of consequences should be considered in the construction of interventions targeting heavy-drinking college students.

Informational pathologies and interest bubbles: Exploring the structural mobilization of knowledge, ignorance, and slack

This article contends that certain configurations of information networks facilitate specific cognitive states that are instrumental for decision and action on social media. Group-related knowledge and belief states—in particular common knowledge and pluralistic ignorance—may enable strong public signals. Indeed, some network configurations and attitude states foster informational pathologies that may fuel interest bubbles affecting agenda-setting and the generation of narratives in public spheres.

Growing Unpopular Norms

Unpopular norms are a pervasive and puzzling phenomenon of the social world. They are norms that are established and maintained against the interest of their subjects, but without external coercion. Pluralistic ignorance has been suggested as a potential explanation of unpopular norms. What is currently lacking is a formal model of this process that can be meaningfully compared with empirically known properties of pluralistic ignorance. An agent-based model of a growing social network can reproduce the most significant qualitative features, viz a deviation of the perceived norm from the preference distribution and the dynamical lag of the former behind the latter. In addition, the model is extended with a central influence representing for example central media or a powerful political elite.

A Psychologically-Motivated Model of Opinion Change with Applications to American Politics

Agent-based models are versatile tools for studying how societal opinion change, including political polarization and cultural diffusion, emerges from individual behavior. This study expands agents' psychological realism using empirically-motivated rules governing interpersonal influence, commitment to previous beliefs, and conformity in social contexts. Computational experiments establish that these extensions produce three novel results: (a) sustained strong diversity of opinions within the population, (b) opinion subcultures, and (c) pluralistic ignorance. These phenomena arise from a combination of agents' intolerance, susceptibility and conformity, with extremist agents and social networks playing important roles. The distribution and dynamics of simulated opinions reproduce two empirical datasets on Americans' political opinions.

多元的無知の先行因についての検討―他者の選好推測に注目して―

本研究の目的は，多元的無知の先行因を検討することである。具体的には，「集団メンバーの行動を観察したとき，その行動が彼ら自身の選好と反していると推測する者ほど，却って当該行動の『規範性』を認知し，それに沿って振る舞う」という仮説を検討した。研究1では大学生の時間厳守規範に焦点を当てて通時的調査を行い，仮説に合致する現象を確認した。研究2では，実験室実験によって当該現象の生起プロセスをより精緻に検証した。参加者は5人1組で実験室に入り，2種類の水を試飲して品質の評定を行うという課題をひとりずつ順番に行った。このとき，すべての参加者が，自分は4番目に配置されていると信じており，先行する3人が「不味い」水を「より高品質である」として選択する様子を観察した。結果，「先行の参加者は（前の人に合わせて）個人的選好と反する行動をしている」と推測する者ほど，当該の行動の規範性を知覚しており，それゆえに自らも規範に沿って振る舞う（「不味い」水を選択する）ことが示された。

Collective effervescence

This paper shares the experiences of a course team in designing and delivering a massive open online course (MOOC). It offers insight into how their approach can help build learning communities and enhance pedagogy for online learning through a return to best practice. It will discuss how a combined approach of using a core site in conjunction with social media platforms can temporarily overcome the functional limitations of xMOOCs, more deeply engage students, and improve moderation. Central to this, the concepts of collective effervescence and radical inclusion are shown to be effective principles of course design which facilitate ongoing support networks - an effective and sustained strategy for combating pluralistic ignorance within research education contexts.

Descriptive and injunctive network norms associated with nonmedical use of prescription drugs among homeless youth

BackgroundNonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) among youth and young adults is being increasingly recognized as a significant public health problem. Homeless youth in particular are more likely to engage in NMUPD compared to housed youth. Studies suggest that network norms are strongly associated with a range of substance use behaviors. However, evidence regarding the association between network norms and NMUPD is scarce. We sought to understand whether social network norms of NMUPD are associated with engagement in NMUPD among homeless youth. Methods1046 homeless youth were recruited from three drop-in centers in Los Angeles, CA and were interviewed regarding their individual and social network characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to evaluate the significance of associations between social norms (descriptive and injunctive) and self-reported NMUPD. ResultsApproximately 25% of youth reported past 30-day NMUPD. However, more youth (32.28%) of youth believed that their network members engage in NMUPD, perhaps suggesting some pluralistic ignorance bias. Both descriptive and injunctive norms were associated with self-reported NMUPD among homeless youth. However, these varied by network type, with presence of NMUPD engaged street-based and home-based peers (descriptive norm) increasing the likelihood of NMUPD, while objections from family-members (injunctive norm) decreasing that likelihood. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that, like other substance use behaviors, NMUPD is also influenced by youths' perceptions of the behaviors of their social network members. Therefore, prevention and interventions programs designed to influence NMUPD might benefit from taking a social network norms approach.

Gender's role in misperceptions of peers' sexual motives.

The sexual double standard influences men's and women's sexual attitudes and behavior, leading men and women to consider distinct sexual motives, or reasons whether or not to engage in sexual intercourse (Crawford & Popp 2003; Reiss 1964). The goal of the present paper was to document how the sexual double standard shapes perceptions of peers' sexual motives. We build on past research by using open-ended questions and measuring perceptions of both same-gender and other-gender peers. The sample included 154 heterosexual college students (50% female, 49% European American, 25% Latino American, 26% African American) recruited via probability sampling. When we compared perceptions of men's and women's sexual motives, we found that participants seemed to rely on the sexual double standard. Participants were more likely to attribute a female-stereotyped motive (e.g., romantic relationship characteristics, feeling "ready", emotional investment) and less likely to attribute a male-stereotyped motive ("easy", arousal, physical appearance) to female peers than to male peers. However, when we compared participants' own motives to perceptions of their peers' motives, participants overestimated male-stereotyped motives and underestimated female-stereotyped motives in peers, regardless of peer gender, possibly in congruence with stereotypes of hookup culture. These findings demonstrate that, although individuals sometimes rely on the sexual double standard to attribute sexual motives to others, misperceptions of peers' sexual motives may also be influenced by stereotypes of hookup culture. These misperceptions contribute to pluralistic ignorance that may influence college students' sexual behaviors.

The Preference for Belief Consonance

We consider the determinants and consequences of a source of utility that has received limited attention from economists: people's desire for the beliefs of other people to align with their own. We relate this ‘preference for belief consonance’ to a variety of other constructs that have been explored by economists, including identity, ideology, homophily, and fellow-feeling. We review different possible explanations for why people care about others' beliefs and propose that the preference for belief consonance leads to a range of disparate phenomena, including motivated belief-formation, proselytizing, selective exposure to media, avoidance of conversational minefields, pluralistic ignorance, belief-driven clustering, intergroup belief polarization, and conflict. We also discuss an explanation for why disputes are often so intense between groups whose beliefs are, by external observers' standards, highly similar to one-another.

Climate of silence: Pluralistic ignorance as a barrier to climate change discussion

Despite the importance of interpersonal public communication about climate change, most citizens rarely discuss the topic. In two studies, we find that inaccurate perceptions of others' opinions (i.e. pluralistic ignorance) contribute to self-silencing among those concerned about climate change. Study 1 illustrates that those who are aware of others' concern about climate change report greater willingness to discuss the issue than those with inaccurate perceptions of others' opinions. Study 2 demonstrates that correcting pluralistic ignorance increases concerned participants' willingness to discuss climate change. In both studies, pluralistic ignorance leads to self-silencing because perceptions that others do not share one's opinion are associated with expecting to be perceived as less competent in a conversation about climate change. In contrast to previous research on confronting prejudice, in the present research expectations about being disliked did not explain self-silencing. We discuss the implications for self-silencing and promoting interpersonal communication about climate change.

When Private Reporting Is More Positive Than Public Reporting

Abstract. Across three studies, we assessed the impact of perceived social norms on attitudes and positive behavioral intentions towards atheists and religious believers. Reported attitudes, reported acceptability of expressing positive and negative attitudes, and reported positive behavioral intentions disproportionately favored religious believers over atheists. However, participants reported a higher likelihood of engaging in positive behaviors towards atheists when the threat of public scrutiny was limited, indicating that the social norm in the US may be suppressing privately held, positive behavioral intentions that would otherwise support atheists, creating a state of pluralistic ignorance. Individuals also reported having more positive attitudes and a higher level of positive behavioral intentions towards religious believers relative to others. Finally, estimates of the prevalence of religious believers in the population also tied directly to one’s perception of the acceptability of expressing positive and negative attitudes towards these groups.

Journalists and public relations specialists: A coorientational analysis

Journalists and public relations professionals have had a difficult, interdependent and always complicated relationship. In spite of their differences, the growing dependence of both professions on each other once again raises the question of how journalists and public relations professionals perceive and evaluate each other. Here, we examine various elements of this complex relationship. Our research was aimed towards answering two main questions. First, we conducted a correlation analysis between the level of (dis)satisfaction with working conditions of each group and their perceptions about the other profession. We expected these correlations to be negative and significant, but this did not prove to be true. In spite of the conventional wisdom that there is a love-hate relationship between the two professions, this study shows that maybe it is time to reevaluate this assumption. Second, we used the coorientational model to analyze the perceptions and cross-perceptions of journalists and public relations experts on their role in organizational reputation building. Both professional groups showed pluralistic ignorance of the other side. It also seems public relations specialists underestimate journalists’ opinion of the communication profession. They seem to perceive the relationship as more adversarial than it really is. Our results fall in line with some of the more recent studies on the journalist–public relations relationship and actually suggest that there are fewer differences between the two groups than assumed.

Misalignment and Misperception in Preferences to Utilize Family‐Friendly Benefits: Implications for Benefit Utilization and Work–Family Conflict

Despite their increasing popularity, family‐friendly benefits are frequently underutilized. Drawing on literatures concerning social norms and pluralistic ignorance, this study examines the role of personal preference, group norm misalignment, and misperception of group norms on employees’ utilization of family‐friendly benefits. In 2 samples (154 firefighters and 440 nurses) across 3 data collection periods, we found that when employees’ preferences for benefit utilization were misaligned with the perceived group norm, they adjusted their family‐friendly benefit utilization in a manner congruent with the norm, even when that norm was misperceived. Further, we found that family‐friendly benefit utilization was negatively associated with work–family conflict. Together, our findings suggest that misperceived social norms regarding family‐friendly benefit utilization can lead to situations whereby employees do not utilize family‐friendly benefits because they mistakenly perceive utilization is not socially accepted and, as a result, experience higher work–family conflict.

An investigation of the tenets of social norms theory as they relate to sexually aggressive attitudes and sexual assault perpetration: A comparison of men and their friends.

OBJECTIVE: Social norms approaches to sexual assault prevention have proliferated despite a dearth of empirical evidence for the tenets of social norms theory as it relates to sexual assault. Whereas previous research has found that men's perceptions of peer aggression influence their perpetration of sexual assault, previous research has not assessed the extent to which men's perceptions are accurate about their close peers. METHOD: Undergraduate men (N = 100) from the psychology participant pool completed surveys along with a close friend (N = 100); the concordance in their beliefs about rape and attitudes toward women as well as reported sexually aggressive behaviors was assessed. RESULTS: Men's own beliefs about rape and attitudes about women were correlated with both their perceptions of their friends' and of the average college male's beliefs, but not with their friends' actual reported beliefs; men's perceptions of their friends' beliefs about rape and attitudes toward women were uncorrelated with their friends' actual reported beliefs as well. Perpetrators of sexual assault were significantly more likely to overestimate their friends' involvement in sexually aggressive behaviors than were nonperpetrators. The order of measures presented was unrelated to endorsement of any of the variables of interest. CONCLUSIONS: Perpetrators of sexual assault hold inaccurate beliefs about their peers' sexually aggressive attitudes and behaviors, which can be targeted in prevention programming. Such programming should provide more accurate descriptive (e.g., rates of sexual assault among men) as well as injunctive norms (i.e., rates of men's approval or disapproval of attitudes and beliefs) to combat pluralistic ignorance and the false consensus effect. Language: en