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arXiv · 2501.07473

Quantifying Polarization: A Comparative Study of Measures and Methods

Edoardo Di Martino·Matteo Cinelli·Roy Cerqueti·Walter Quattrociocchi
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Abstract

Political polarization, a key driver of social fragmentation, has drawn increasing attention for its role in shaping online and offline discourse. Despite significant efforts, accurately measuring polarization within ideological distributions remains a challenge. This study evaluates five widely used polarization measures, testing their strengths and weaknesses with synthetic datasets and a real-world case study on YouTube discussions during the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Building on these findings, we present a novel adaptation of Kleinberg's burst detection algorithm to improve mode detection in polarized distributions. By offering both a critical review and an innovative methodological tool, this work advances the analysis of ideological patterns in social media discourse.

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Edoardo Di Martino, Matteo Cinelli, Roy Cerqueti, Walter Quattrociocchi. 2025-01-13. Quantifying Polarization: A Comparative Study of Measures and Methods. https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.07473

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