A Mixed Method Field Experiment Using Social Media

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

The American public remains deeply divided about a range of social issues from inequality to immigration. Social media sites are often blamed for deepening such divisions by creating "echo chambers," or preventing people from being exposed to opinions from those who do not share their views. This research examines whether experimentally disrupting such echo chambers--by exposing a large sample of two antagonistic groups to social media messages from the opposing group--can increase moderation and compromise. The results of this research will thereby promote cooperation by helping policy makers and industry leaders design whether and how to regulate social media sites and ensure the inclusive deliberation that is essential for the function of our public institutions. Social scientists have become increasingly concerned that selective exposure to information within social media echo chambers may contribute to political polarization and divergent public attitudes about controversial issues such as inequality and immigration. This research draws upon social network analysis and social psychology in order to develop a set of hypotheses about the relationship between social media echo chambers and political attitudes and evaluates them via a mixed-method field experiment on Twitter that combines quantitative surveys, automated text analysis, and interviews with a large sample of Americans. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.