A Multi-motivational Approach to Understanding Polarized Discourse
摘要
Discourse in politically polarized environments is often shaped by layered, psychologically complex motivations that challenge traditional analytic methods. While Quantitative Ethnography (QE) enables structured coding and visualization of discourse patterns, such tools may implicitly assume that utterances reflect singular, codable constructs. This study combines three techniques to explore the possibility of multiple, codable constructs. They include ENA discourse coding, expert psychological analysis, and Ordered Network Analysis (ONA). Using an AI-generated social media thread designed to simulate politically charged commentary, the analysis models relationships among motivational constructs. Three licensed mental health experts interpreted the same dataset, generating divergent but plausible psychological narratives. These differences illustrate the interpretive ambiguity inherent in discourse and underscore the value of multiple analytical lenses. By integrating ONA, the study offers a novel means of visualizing temporal sequencing and affective escalation. However, ethical caution is warranted when applying motivational modeling to real individuals, particularly public figures. This work contributes to efforts within the QE community to refine tools for analyzing affectively charged discourse.