Extremists Are More Likely to Share Their Opinions

Our happy hour fact to amaze your drinking buddies with

People with extreme points of view are more likely to express themselves than those with more moderate opinions.

Social scientists have found that since people often belong to groups that lean slightly in one direction on most issues, expressing extreme opinions in that direction tends to go unchallenged. This not only emboldens the extremists to push their points with more vigor, but it convinces the moderates that the extreme is the norm, making them less likely to speak up.

There is evidence of this phenomenon in newer, more interactive venues for political expression, such as talk radio and the Internet, which seem to be dominated by extreme voices.

At least we hope that's what's responsible for the uptick in political screaming, because the scary alternative would be that everybody is insane.

The Happy Hour Hero widget brings amazing facts and figures to your desktop, MySpace page, Facebook profile or blog: