Measuring narrative polarization in online discourse

Clicks: 5
ID: 324465
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Polarization research has demonstrated how people cluster in homogeneous groups with opposing opinions. However, this effect emerges not only through interaction between people, limiting communication between groups, but also between narratives, shaping opinions and partisan identities. Yet, how polarized information environments portray opposing interpretations of reality, and whether narratives move between content environments despite limited interactions, remains unexplored. To address this gap, we formalize the concept of narrative polarization and demonstrate its measurement in 212 YouTube videos and 90,029 comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Based on structural narrative theory and implemented through a large language model, we extract the narrative roles assigned to central actors in two partisan information environments. We find that while videos produce highly polarized narratives, comments exhibit significantly lower levels of narrative polarization, converging on shared core narrative structures. However, recurring narrative motifs capturing more complex actor constellations reveal additional differences between partisan environments.
Reference Key
openalex_W7202079400 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Jan Elfes, Marco Bastos, Luca Maria Aiello
Journal PNAS nexus
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/pnasnexus/pgag270
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgag270
Keywords Keywords not found

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