The Silent Majority: Neither Simple Nor Simple-Minded

Public opinion polls in recent years have consistently shown northern whites willing to live in desegrated neighborhoods; at the same time, open housing referenda have been defeated and stable integrated neighborhoods are hard to find. The explanation, the author contends, is not that people lie to the polltaker, but that their beliefs get translated into behavior in ways more complex than might be expected. Some implications for public policy are explored.