Pluralistic ignorance
Overview
Pluralistic ignorance (when everyone wrongly assumes they are the only one who feels a certain way) refers to a state where many members of a group privately hold the same opinion or feeling, yet wrongly believe that the other members hold opinions different from their own. It was proposed in 1931 by social psychologists Daniel Katz and Floyd Allport.
One example is a scene in a university lecture where the professor asks, "Are there any questions?" Many students don't understand the material, but seeing that no one around them is asking, they convince themselves, "I'm the only one who doesn't get it," and no one asks a question.
Question boxes and pluralistic ignorance
Pluralistic ignorance happens in question box communities too. After the person answering states a strong opinion on a particular topic, there are times when followers who feel "I disagree, but everyone else seems to agree" stay silent. In reality, the silent followers may well share the same sense that something is off.
Pluralistic ignorance is also involved in the act of sending a question itself. People hesitate, thinking, "I'm probably the only one who would send a question like this." But you aren't necessarily the only one who wants to send that question. The first person's question leads to questions from people who think, "I wanted to ask that too."
Breaking pluralistic ignorance
When someone speaks up first, it moves things toward breaking pluralistic ignorance. The person answering a question box is also in a position to draw out this "first voice." Mentioning in an answer, "I got this question. I think a lot of people feel the same way," helps the people who had stayed silent feel relieved that "it wasn't just me."
The person answering can fall into pluralistic ignorance too. "I'm the only one who finds running a question box hard." "Everyone else answering questions seems to be having fun." But others who answer questions may be dealing with the same worries. Talking honestly about how hard it can be to run a question box can spread a sense of relief to others who answer questions, letting them know "I'm not the only one."