CeDEx Seminar - Juan S. Morales (Wilfrid Laurier University)

Conformity and Silence:  Experimental Evidence on Social Pressure and Free Speech

We investigate how social pressure affects the expression of opinions through (i) a theoretical model and (ii) pre-registered online experiments eliciting participants’ views on sensitive topics and their willingness to publish these views online. We document the existence of ideologically left-wing norms: participants with progressive views were more willing to publish, and awareness of potential publication reduced expressed conservativism. Priming social backlash had weak effects. Revealing high rates of public expression reduced self-censorship. In an extended policy-decision framework, and using empirical estimates on the value of "speaking up," we show how social norms that regulate free speech may increase welfare.