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Researchers wanted to find out how prevalent self-silencing, or preference falsification, is - defined as saying what you think others want to hear rather than what you truly believe.
What they found is a tendency for people of all demographics to succumb to social pressures to have the “right” opinion when it comes to hot-button issues like abortion, mask wearing, and discussing gender identity in schools, despite their true feelings.
On the issue of abortion, the study found that men are not as supportive as they may proclaim publicly.
In private, only 45 percent of men agreed that the decision to have an abortion should be left up to a woman and her doctor, compared to 60 percent who agreed publicly.
On the assertion that abortion should be legal in most cases, only 48 percent of men agreed privately, compared to 52 percent who agreed publicly, the study found.
When it comes to mask wearing, 59 percent of Americans publicly agree that wearing a mask was an effective way to stop the spread of COVID-19, yet only 47 percent hold that view privately, researchers said.
The biggest gaps between private and public opinions were found among those ages 30 to 44 relating to education.
The study found that despite a majority (74 percent) of that age group privately thinking that parents should have more say in what kids are taught in the classroom, only 48 percent were willing to say so publicly.
On discussing gender identity in school, 60 percent of that age group publicly said doing so is inappropriate for kindergarten through third-graders. In private, though, only 40 percent agreed.
Researchers also found that 33 percent of people believe public schools focus too much on racism in the US, compared to 43 percent who said so publicly.
Hispanics and independents were the least comfortable sharing their true beliefs publicly, the study found, with double-digit gaps between what they say and believe on 14 out of 25 topics.
Researchers said the tendency for people to publicly conceal their true positions on key issues is especially troubling because of the threat it can pose to individual freedoms and democratic self-government.
The survey consisted of 3,334 American adults and was conducted for Populace by YouGov between Monday, May 23, and Wednesday, June 8.
Click here to read the full report from Populace.
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