The belief that there is social pressure to have the “right” opinion is pervasive in America today. In fact, a majority of Americans (58%) think that most people cannot share their honest opinions about sensitive topics.
They are not wrong: In the last year alone, 61% of Americans reported that they have avoided saying things that they believe because others might find them offensive. This includes a majority of all demographic groups — regardless of race, gender, age, income, or political affiliation — with Gen Z having the highest rate of self-silencing of any group (72%).
The aim of this report is to not only quantify the perception of social pressure in society but also to better understand the extent to which Americans are misrepresenting their views (i.e. the difference between what they publicly say vs. what they privately believe).
In revealing the private opinions of the American public across a wide range of sensitive topics, and surfacing areas where there is the greatest misrepresentation of private views, this report aims to contribute to more open and honest political and social discourse.
Key Findings in the Report:
Most Americans are feeling social pressure:
- A majority of Americans (58%) believe most people cannot share their honest opinions about sensitive topics in society today. And they are not wrong: Not only do 61% of Americans admit to self-silencing, private opinion methods reveal that every single demographic group is misrepresenting their true opinions on multiple sensitive issues.
College graduates and political independents are the least comfortable sharing their private views in public.
- Across demographic groups, college graduates and political independents self-silence the most often, with double-digit gaps between public and private opinion on 37 of 64 issues.
(Un)Fair society.
- Even though a sizable minority of Americans (37%) publicly express a belief that we live in a mostly fair society, only 7% privately agree — a 30-point difference between public and private opinion. The difference is largest among Americans living in high income households (46% public vs. 6% private) and Republicans (50% public vs. 11% private).
People privately agree on most issues.
- For two-thirds of the sensitive issues studied (43 of 64), ranging from abortion rights and school choice to legal immigration and voter ID requirements, 90% of demographic groups are privately on the same side of the issues.
Men and women have similar views.
- A majority of men and women are on the same side of 57 of the 64 sensitive issues in this study.
Gen Z is surprisingly mainstream.
- Gen Z is notably similar to the rest of America when it comes to their private views on sensitive topics: A majority of Gen Z are on the same side as the general public on 57 out of the 64 sensitive issues in this study (differing only in the magnitude of their support or opposition to a given issue). The issues where they diverge from the rest of the general public are climate change and immigration.
There is private distrust of America’s institutions.
- Public opinion results suggest low public confidence in the Supreme Court (36%) and a general distrust of the government (22%) and media (24%). Private opinion reveals that trust is even lower than public opinion results would suggest (21% confidence in the Supreme Court, 4% trust in government, and 7% trust in media).
Americans value diversity.
- In private, nearly two-thirds of Americans agree more diversity would be good for the country, 64% believe legal immigrants do more to help the country than hurt it, and 58% continue to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
But Americans want meritocracy.
- The vast majority of Americans, including a majority of almost every demographic group, privately believe that decisions about college admissions, as well as hiring and promotion at work, should be based on the individual’s qualifications and performance rather than other social considerations.
Americans who self-silence have less trust in other people.
- People who self-silence have a social trust score that is 22-points lower than people who do not (30% and 52%, respectively).
Social Pressure Index:
Private Opinion in America
The Social Pressure Index (SPI) is a private opinion research study that reveals Americans’ true opinions about sensitive topics from a nationally representative sample of American adults, including more than 19,000 completed responses. It estimates the gap between Americans’ privately held beliefs and their publicly stated opinions.