The Amplification of Extremity: How Status Moderates Polarization and Engagement

• In Event: 30468 - Interrogating the Relationship between Politics and Culture

Abstract

In recent years, extreme expressions have become increasingly common not only among fringe users but also among high-status actors, particularly on social media, including political and business leaders, celebrities, and activists. But how are extreme expressions from high-status actors perceived by their audience? This study finds that tweets expressing extreme political stances—whether left or right—by high-status accounts consistently receive more likes, whereas similar expressions from lower-status accounts tend to receive fewer likes. Focusing on Black Lives Matter (BLM) movements and its spillover civil unrests in multiple Twitter (X) datasets, we employed three computational approaches to measure extremity—drawing from hashtag toolkits, information sources, and Large Language Mode (LLM)-labeled content—and found a consistent pattern. Online social status plays a critical role in shaping audience responses and moderates the relationship between politically extreme language and user engagement. We discuss these results in the context of strategic tactics, status theory, and social influence in online networks.

Authors

• Yuanhao (Colin) Liu, Johns Hopkins University

• Anjalie Field, Johns Hopkins University