 So this is, they are examining the differences between public and private opinions. And they say self-silencing, people saying what they think others want to hear rather than what they truly feel, is skewing our understanding of how Americans really feel about abortion, COVID-19 precautions, what children are taught in school, and other hot-button issues, according to a new study. The best predictor of private behavior is private opinion. People's actual views are far more likely than their stated views to drive consumer and social behavior and voting.