Voicing complaints in the public arena

This study draws on several literatures--the Tichenor et al. (1980) pluralism model stressing community constraints, the spiral of silence literature stressing the importance of the climate of communication, and the currently popular emphasis on democratic discussion in the "public sphere." In the Tichenor et al. (1980) model, media stress consensus and avoid conflict in more homogeneous communities. Here we extend the issue to question whether community characteristics affect perceptions of the climate of communication and one's comfort in voicing complaints in public. The results present some support for existing theory as well as some contradictions.