Opposing positions, dividing interactions, and hostile affect: A systematic review and conceptualization of “online climate change polarization”

Abstract

Online climate change polarization has increasingly received academic interest over time. Online media facilitate and accelerate processes of climate change polarization. Yet, throughout the years, online climate change polarization became a fuzzy concept, holding different meanings in different academic contexts. By reviewing the available evidence, the current article identified three ontological distinctions in online climate change polarization research: (1) focus on different groups that polarize; (2) either investigate the positions, relations, or emotions of actors; and (3) states or processes of polarization. Based on the latter two ontological distinctions, the article reconceptualizes online climate change polarization as a multidimensional phenomenon, by introducing a framework comprising six dimensions of polarization. Accordingly, by identifying gaps in the literature, the article proposes a future research agenda.This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Communication Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Perceptions of Climate Change Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Behavior Change and Responses