• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.286-297
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• 2020

This study explores how fear of isolation and willingness to speak out are affected by cultural values. The cross-cultural studies on the spiral of silent theory were conducted mostly in Eastern and Western countries and compared the results. It attributed to the results to the "individualist-collective" attitude difference. However, it did not explain the differences in the same individualism societies as well as in the collectivism societies. Thus, this study examined the impact of cultural values on the spiral of silence theory with 'individualism-collectivism' and 'uncertainty-avoidance'. To that end, the current study conducted online surveys in India, South Korea, the United States and Spain where have different levels of individualism, collectivism, and uncertainty-avoidance. As a result, individualism contributed to lower the fear of isolation, and collectivism and uncertainty avoidance have raised the fear of isolation. Besides, individualism and uncertainty avoidance also reinforce the willingness to speak out, while fear of social isolation has been shown to weaken the willingness to speak out. The study also found that fear of isolation has the mediated effect of individualism and collectivism on the willingness to speak out.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.62
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• pp.74-94
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• 2013

The purpose of the thesis is to find out the correlation between Chinese 'Personal Opinion Expression on Offline' and 'Personal Opinion Expression on Online'(Hypothesis 1) and between 'Save Face' and 'Personal Opinion Expression on Offline', 'Personal Opinion Expression on Online'(Hypothesis 2). It also analyzes and verifies the impact of 'Save Face' among 'Personal Opinion Expression on Offline', and 'Personal Opinion Expression on Online'(Hypothesis 3). The results of this study shows that correlation between 'behavior of opinion expression on Offline' and 'behavior of opinion expression on Online'. Chinese people who express their views in the public, tend to express their opinions on the Online. The thesis also covers that 'Silence' can be caused not only by 'Personal Fear of Isolation', but also by 'Save Face' upon 'The Spiral of Silence a Theory' by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, and prove that 'Save Face' relatively affects 'People talk about their observation'. It also confirms that 'Save Face in Open Space', a factor of 'Save Face's, performs a partial channel on 'Personal Opinion Expression on Online' and 'Personal Opinion Expression on Offline'.