A new study found significant differences between what Americans say publicly and what they privately believe about key political issues. According to a survey by the think tank Populace and polling firm YouGov, 61% of Americans admit to “self-silencing” on sensitive topics
Researchers used a mix of traditional polling and a list experiment method, which provides respondents with more anonymity. This allowed for a clearer picture of the gap between public statements and private beliefs.
One of the largest gaps was seen in trust in government. Publicly, 36% of Democrats and 14% of Republicans said they trust the government to tell the truth. However, privately, just 5% of Democrats and 2% of Republicans agreed with that statement.
The disparity is similar when it comes to trust in the media. While 42% of Democrats and 16% of Republicans said they trust the media publicly, only 9% of Democrats and 3% of Republicans shared that sentiment privately.
On the issue of defunding the police, a movement often associated with younger and left-leaning Americans, public support is relatively low — just 28% of Gen Z and 27% of Democrats said they support the movement. Privately, the numbers drop even further, with only 2% of Gen Z and 3% of Democrats agreeing with the idea, similar to the 1% of Boomers and Republicans who also support it privately.
There are, however, some areas of agreement. Privately, 66% of Americans said more diversity would benefit the country, and 64% believe legal immigrants do more to help the country than harm it. Additionally, 58% privately support the Black Lives Matter movement.
Another significant gap was found on the topic of border security. While 85% of Republicans publicly support closing the U.S.-Mexico border, just 68% hold that view privately.
Todd Rose, CEO of Populace, warned that such gaps between public and private opinions could create social and political instability.