Most group-discussion participants stayed completely silent

Evidence

On average, those who were totally silent formed a majority of 61 per cent over those who spoke. … In addition, the qualities of each group were not systematically recorded, so that analysis of the group dynamics of each group was not possible. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 1879

Categorization

• SHARE: A striking methodological finding for anyone running focus groups or qualitative research.
• XREF: connects to: In the group study, 61 percent of participants remained completely silent on average — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 1879; Skilled, organized volunteers fall silent precisely when divisive topics arise in meetings. — Nina Eliasoph, “Close to home”: The work of avoiding…, 96; Silent groups let a vocal few dominate opinion through sheer volume of talk — Nina Eliasoph, Avoiding politics: how Americans…, 775 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• In the group study, 61 percent of participants remained completely silent on average #corroborates (1.00) — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 1879