Pluralistic ignorance sustains norms even after private attitudes have shifted

Evidence

The interaction between these two norm types creates what social psychologists call pluralistic ignorance: a state in which most members of a group privately disagree with a practice but each believes — incorrectly — that the others approve of it. Everyone conforms. No one objects. And because no one objects, everyone infers that everyone else approves. The false consensus sustains itself. — , The Rod and the Child, 7327

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines pluralistic ignorance as a self-sustaining false consensus that keeps everyone conforming.
• XREF: Connects to public-opinion literature and to the prior chapter’s discussion of how majorities can remain silent. — connects to: Collective public commitment dissolves pluralistic ignorance by revealing shared doubt — , The Rod and the Child: A Global History…, 7371; Pluralistic ignorance sustains corporal punishment norms, and shared visibility breaks them — , The Rod and the Child: A Global History…, 7389; Subordinated regimes of truth sustain plausibility for oppressed subjects (+6 more)

Related

• Pluralistic ignorance sustains corporal punishment norms, and shared visibility breaks them (similarity 0.87)
• Collective public commitment dissolves pluralistic ignorance by revealing shared doubt (similarity 0.85)

Broader Connections

• Pluralistic ignorance sustains corporal punishment norms, and shared visibility breaks them #exemplifies (0.85) — , The Rod and the Child, 7389
• Collective public commitment dissolves pluralistic ignorance by revealing shared doubt #expands (0.80) — , The Rod and the Child, 7371
• Subordinated regimes of truth sustain plausibility for oppressed subjects #complicates (0.50)