沉默的螺旋:理论、现实与反思

Spiral of Silence:Theory,Reality and Reflection

通过重访沉默的螺旋理论,综述西方学界近三十年来相关理论的发展,本文梳理了四种研究视角,并以此探讨了该理论的研究进路:针对孤立恐惧和媒介效果的跨文化研究,针对大众媒体一致性报道的媒体效果研究,针对关键概念细化与理论体系完善的纯理论研究,针对概念操作化和研究方法的方法论研究。本文进一步分析了关于新媒体与沉默的螺旋的理论现状,认为此项研究应当离开'是否存在'的浅层问题,而转向'如何存在'的深层媒介效果研究,以及'具有何种存在意义'的媒介批判研究。在后一问题上,反思中国现实,沉默的螺旋警示了国家与社会之间有关权力抗争和共识的双重困境。

Revisiting Neumann’s"Spiral of Silence"and summarizing its theoretical development in the last three decades in the western academic circles,we can find four perspectives to research this theory.Thus,the research of"Spiral of Silence"should have the following approach;the cross-cultural study for the isolated fear and media effects;the media effects research on the consistence news report;the pure theoretical research on the key concepts and theoretical system;the methodology research on operational concepts and research methods.Further,this paper analyzes the present of"Spiral of Silence"in the new media environment,pointing out that this study should weaken the question of"whether it exists or not"and strengthen the question of"how to exist"or"what is the meaning of its existence".On the latter issue,reflecting the Chinese reality,the"Spiral of Silence"warns the dilemma between the power struggle and the consensus of the state and the society.