Socializados para la autocensura: comunicación autoritaria y opinión pública

Abstract

Based on a probabilistic survey that represents the Colombian urban adult population in 2008, this study shows how authoritarian communication patterns as a child are the most important predictor of self-censoring political opinions as an adult. Beyond these early communication experiences, this study also shows how individual differences in terms of socioeconomic status and mass media use contribute to self-censorship. The implications of our results, as well as future research possibilities, are discussed.