What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to explore how the concepts of kūki and sontaku inform the understanding of pluralistic ignorance.

May 19, 2026Open Access

'Kūki' and Sontaku — The Japanese Form of Pluralistic Ignorance

Key Points

This study aims to explore how the concepts of kūki and sontaku inform the understanding of pluralistic ignorance.
Analyzed the concepts of kūki and sontaku within the theoretical framework of pluralistic ignorance.
Integrated findings from Yamamoto Shichihei's work on atmosphere and contemporary political examples from Japan.
Identified mechanisms that create a 'knowing but not speaking' environment in Japanese society.
Demonstrated how anticipatory compliance influences individuals' willingness to voice dissent.

Abstract

This case study integrates the 'rule by atmosphere' (kūki) analyzed by Yamamoto Shichihei in A Study of 'Atmosphere' and the concept of 'sontaku' (anticipatory compliance), which gained political attention from 2017, within the theoretical framework of pluralistic ignorance. It illuminates the mechanism that structures the state of 'knowing but not speaking' by radically raising the cost of dissent.

'Kūki' and Sontaku — The Japanese Form of Pluralistic Ignorance

Key Points

Abstract

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