Pluralistic ignorance
A situation in which people misjudge others' private views and therefore misunderstand the group's position.
Example
Someone may underestimate support for climate action among their peers.
The catch
Evidence from one population should not be generalised to everyone.
In more depth
Pluralistic ignorance, explained.
Pluralistic ignorance about climate action is large and measurable. Andre et al. (2024), surveying about 130,000 people in 125 countries, found that 69% said they would give 1% of their income each month to fight climate change, and that people underestimated others' willingness by 26 percentage points.
The gap grows when supporters stay quiet. People infer what others think from what they see and hear, so a silent majority can look like a reluctant one. That perceived social norm then discourages speaking up and weakens collective efficacy. Researchers suggest that sharing accurate information about others' views can loosen this loop. Apply the term to the distance between perceived and measured opinion, and cite the survey behind the measured figure.