从群体极化到公众极化:极化研究的进路与转向  

From Group Polarization to Public Polarization: Evolution and Transition of Polarization Theory

作　　者：夏倩芳[1] 原永涛[1] 

机构地区：[1]武汉大学新闻与传播学院

出　　处：《新闻与传播研究》2017年第6期5-32,共28页Journalism & Communication

基　　金：教育部人文社会科学重点研究基地重大项目"新媒体环境下中国媒体新闻传播创新研究"(项目编号:16JJD860003)的阶段性成果

摘　　要：发端于20世纪60年代的群体极化理论表明,群体的观点和态度比个体更趋向极端化。社会心理学研究确证了群体极化现象的普遍性,并指明该现象的关键形成机制在于群体互动过程。当代政治学研究认为,新媒体环境下的社会互动过程,将导致以心理群体或舆论群体形式存在的社会公众的意见极化。新媒体特别是社交媒体的技术属性为这一过程提供了物质基础,选择性信息接触和社会背书构成了两种基本的解释机制。极化理论使得一个以社会公众为着眼点、以群体互动为表征的分析框架成为可能,对公众舆论、政治传播等研究领域的创新具有重要启示。The Group Polarization Theory raised in 1960 s indicates that group opinion and attitude tend to be more extreme than the means of its members as individuals. Researches of social psychology confirmed the ubiquity of polarization and regarded the processes of group interaction as the key factor inducing the phenomenon. Contemporary political studies indicate that social interaction under new media conditions can lead to the polarization of the public existing as psychological or opinion-based groups. The technical characteristics of new media,particularly social media,provide physical basis for public interaction that might lead to opinion polarization. Selective information exposure and social endorsement constitute the basic explanations of the polarizing process on new media platforms. Polarization theory makes it possible to set up a new analytical framework that focuses on the public and their interactions,and will be significant for theoretical innovations in journalism and communication as well as politics.

关 键 词：群体极化 公众舆论 社交媒体 非理性 

分 类 号：G206[文化科学—传播学]