What is the Overton window?
The Overton window is a sociological model developed by Joseph Overton in the 1990s. It describes how society accepts or rejects certain ideas over time. These ideas and opinions fall within the Overton window if they are socially acceptable. Those perceived as unthinkable or radical lie outside the window.
According to Overton, the process of changing public opinion goes through several stages: unthinkable, radical, acceptable, sensible, popular, and policy.
For example, let's take men's and women's rights. In the 19th century, the idea of equality between men and women was unthinkable: women had no right to vote, work on equal terms with men, or even receive education. By the mid-20th century, they gained some rights. And now complete equality has become policy-level norm in many countries. It's another matter that apparently at the psychological level of men and women, there's often no real equality even now, but that's my lyrical digression.
There are various established expressions with the window:
- "Throw out the Overton window": means excluding an idea from public discussion.
- "Overton window shift": conversely, describes the process where previously unacceptable ideas begin to be discussed and accepted by society.
- "Window of opportunity": used in the context of discussing which ideas can be accepted or rejected.
- "Conditioning to ideas through the Overton window": implies the gradual introduction of new ideas into public consciousness.