Its called false consensus effect, or false bias effect
I didn't make it up
Or write the description
PHD's and the like do those things
I think the point, or part of it, is that people like to think that they themselves are normal, which leads to various cognitive biases.
One if these biases is that people tend to think that more people think the way they do, than actually do. Another is that individuals in a group tend to think that there is more of a consensus amongst the group than there actually is, which creates a hesitancy in the individual to speak up about how they really do feel. That can lead to a group appearing to accept, support or condone things that few in the group actually do accept, support or condone.
One other aspect seems to be that people tend to think that because they themselves are obviously "normal", anyone who disagrees with them must be defective, or at least wrong.
I only nicked a "teaser", a couple of the most pertinent points.
Just seemed apropos to mention on this forum.
Not that it will do,any good, but, ya' gotta' speak up.
