Polarization of Opinion

Opinion polarization is increasingly attracting attention due to its potential to disrupt societies. While the issue is becoming more prominent, the concept of opinion polarization remains intricate, encompassing various mechanisms of formation and context-dependent factors. Consequently, the mechanism of opinion polarization has yet to be conclusively demonstrated. Recently, the proliferation of digital data, combined with an array of computational methods, is providing new opportunities to investigate the nuances of opinion polarization. In order to better understand the cutting-edge and innovative works occurring in this field, this chapter will (1) clarify the concept of opinion polarization and distinguish its different variants for theoretical clarity, (2) provide an overview of primary novel data and methods closely related to the investigation of opinion polarization, (3) review several representative research to demonstrate how novel data and advanced method can be applied to address both theoretical and practical questions in research of opinion polarization, and (4) discuss how to integrate theoretical concepts and empirical findings to establish an iterative research framework of opinion polarization.