Editing Group polarization (section)

===The Internet===
The rising popularity and increased number of online social media platforms, such as [[Facebook]], [[Twitter]] and [[Instagram]], has enabled people to seek out and share ideas with others who have similar interests and common values, making group polarization effects increasingly  evident, particularly in [[generation Y]] and [[generation Z]] individuals.<ref>{{cite book|title=Influences of mediated violence: a brief research summary|last=Feilitzen|first=C.|publisher=International clearninghouse on children, youth and media|year=2009|isbn=978-91-89471-81-8}}</ref> Similar to the social media platforms, video streaming platforms like YouTube are forming groups unconsciously through intelligent algorithm seeking for extreme contents.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bastug|first1=Mehmet F.|last2=Douai|first2=Aziz|last3=Akca|first3=Davut|date=2020-07-02|title=Exploring the "Demand Side" of Online Radicalization: Evidence from the Canadian Context|journal=Studies in Conflict & Terrorism|volume=43|issue=7|pages=616–637|doi=10.1080/1057610X.2018.1494409|s2cid=115806907|issn=1057-610X}}</ref> Owing to this technology, it is possible for individuals to curate their sources of information and the opinions to which they are exposed, thereby reinforcing and strengthening their own views while effectively avoiding information and perspectives with which they disagree.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Sunstein|first=Cass|year=2000|title=Deliberative Trouble? Why groups go to extremes.|url=https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4513&context=ylj|journal=The Yale Law Journal|volume=110|issue=1|pages=71–119|doi=10.2307/797587|jstor=797587}}</ref>

One study analyzed over 30,000 tweets on Twitter regarding the shooting of [[George Tiller]], a late term abortion doctor, where the tweets analyzed were conversations among supporters and opponents of abortion rights, post shooting. The study found that like-minded individuals strengthened group identity whereas replies between different-minded individuals reinforced a split in affiliation.<ref name="Yardi 316" />

In a study conducted by Sia et al. (2002), group polarization was found to occur with online ([[Computer-mediated communication|computer-mediated]]) discussions. In particular, this study found that group discussions, conducted when discussants are in a distributed (cannot see one another) or anonymous (cannot identify one another) environment, can lead to even higher levels of group polarization compared to traditional meetings. This is attributed to the greater numbers of novel arguments generated (due to persuasive arguments theory) and higher incidence of one-upmanship behaviors (due to social comparison).<ref>{{cite journal|last=Sia|first=C. L |author2=Tan, B |author3=Wei, K. K.|title=Group Polarization and Computer-Mediated Communication: Effects of Communication Cues, Social Presence, and Anonymity|journal=Information Systems Research|year=2002|volume=13|pages=70–90|doi=10.1287/isre.13.1.70.92}}</ref>

However, some research suggests that important differences arise in measuring group polarization in laboratory versus field experiments. A study conducted by Taylor & MacDonald (2002) featured a realistic setting of a computer-mediated discussion, but group polarization did not occur at the level expected.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal|last1=Taylor|first1=J.|last2=MacDonald|first2=J.|year=2002|title=The effects of asynchronous computer-mediated group interaction of group processes|journal=Social Science Review|volume=20|issue=3|pages=260–274|doi=10.1177/089443930202000304|s2cid=220160579}}</ref> The study's results also showed that groupthink occurs less in computer-mediated discussions than when people are face to face. Moreover, computer-mediated discussions often fail to result in a group consensus, or lead to less satisfaction with the consensus that was reached, compared to groups operating in a natural environment. Furthermore, the experiment took place over a two-week period, leading the researchers to suggest that group polarization may occur only in the short-term.  Overall, the results suggest that not only may group polarization not be as prevalent as previous studies suggest, but group theories, in general, may not be simply transferable when seen in a computer-related discussion.<ref name=":0" />

{{see also|Echo chamber (media)}}