Opinion Climates & Expression in the Electronic Forum
1
Abstract
This study seeks to tackle the problem of deliberation and equality especially in terms of
majority and minority group dynamics. Discussing conformity and minority influence
research in social psychology, this study proposes that anonymous communication ecology
would facilitate the expression of minority opinions, and minority influence would be
greater than conformity in an electronic forum. Instead of testing directly majority and
minority influences in deliberation, this study focuses on how majority and minority
opinion holders respond to different opinion climates both at the national and group levels.
The analyses were conducted with two operationalized dependent measures of deliberative
opinion expression (consistent expression of opinion, expression of reasoned opinions).
The results render some support for the proposal with regard to opinion consistency, but not
for reasonedness.
Convention