<p>The APAs dictionary <a href="https://dictionary.apa.org/group-polarization" rel="nofollow noreferrer">points out</a> that group polarization is</p>
<blockquote>
<p>the tendency for members of a group discussing an issue to move toward a more extreme version of the positions they held before the discussion began. As a result, the group as a whole tends to respond in more extreme ways than one would expect given the sentiments of the individual members prior to deliberation. Polarization is sustained by social comparison (see social comparison theory), by exposure to other members’ relatively extreme responses (see persuasive arguments theory), and by groups’ implicit social decision schemes.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I am at a loss on why you need a peer reviewed paper to cite its definition when a reputable site comes up at the top of a general Google search, but an example would be <a href="https://doi.org/10.9776/13174" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Hsuanwei Michelle Chen (2013)</a> who discusses this in virtual communities.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This study examines group polarization, the phenomenon that group members tend to become more extreme in their decisions after group discussions, in the setting of virtual communities, specifically on stock message boards.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>References</h2>
<p>Chen, H. M. (2013). Group polarization in virtual communities: the case of stock message boards. <em>iConference 2013 Proceedings</em> (pp. 185-195). <a href="https://doi.org/10.9776/13174" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.9776/13174</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-07T07:17:33.247Z
2021-11-07T07:17:33.247Z
Chris Rogers
<p>I am a finance student. Today I read a paper of <a href="https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/25f548f9-689a-30cf-be00-e0a2fd5dde0e/?utm_source=desktop&amp;utm_medium=1.19.8&amp;utm_campaign=open_catalog&amp;userDocumentId=%7B43b7e318-b88c-3a2c-a43c-95c9b6cfd128%7D" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Cinelli,2021</a> and face the phrase &quot;group polarization theory&quot;</p>
<p>From this <a href="https://www.spring.org.uk/2021/07/group-polarization.php" rel="nofollow noreferrer">link</a>, I found an idea that</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Those who don’t initially agree with that decision are likely to
change their mind to agree with the majority</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And this process goes through 3 main theories:persuasion, comparison and differentiation</p>
<p>I am wondering is there any paper that tells the same thing as that? I prefer a peer-reviewed paper over the website as a citation.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-07T06:59:53.807Z
Why do you need a paper discussing the meaning when there are links to reputable sites such as the APA coming up on a general Google search for "group polarization"? At the top is a link to the APA dictionary giving you the meaning.
Chris Rogers
<social-psychology>
Asking for reference of specific meaning of "group polarization"
Phil Nguyen
# Asking for reference of specific meaning of "group polarization"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-11-05)

I am a finance student. Today I read a paper of [Cinelli,2021](https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/25f548f9-689a-30cf-be00-e0a2fd5dde0e/?utm_source=desktop&utm_medium=1.19.8&utm_campaign=open_catalog&userDocumentId=%7B43b7e318-b88c-3a2c-a43c-95c9b6cfd128%7D) and face the phrase "group polarization theory"

From this [link](https://www.spring.org.uk/2021/07/group-polarization.php), I found an idea that

> Those who don’t initially agree with that decision are likely to
> change their mind to agree with the majority

And this process goes through 3 main theories:persuasion, comparison and differentiation

I am wondering is there any paper that tells the same thing as that? I prefer a peer-reviewed paper over the website as a citation.

**Tags:** social-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Why do you need a paper discussing the meaning when there are links to reputable sites such as the APA coming up on a general Google search for "group polarization"? At the top is a link to the APA dictionary giving you the meaning.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-11-07. Score: 2

The APAs dictionary [points out](https://dictionary.apa.org/group-polarization) that group polarization is

> the tendency for members of a group discussing an issue to move toward a more extreme version of the positions they held before the discussion began. As a result, the group as a whole tends to respond in more extreme ways than one would expect given the sentiments of the individual members prior to deliberation. Polarization is sustained by social comparison (see social comparison theory), by exposure to other members’ relatively extreme responses (see persuasive arguments theory), and by groups’ implicit social decision schemes.

I am at a loss on why you need a peer reviewed paper to cite its definition when a reputable site comes up at the top of a general Google search, but an example would be [Hsuanwei Michelle Chen (2013)](https://doi.org/10.9776/13174) who discusses this in virtual communities.

> This study examines group polarization, the phenomenon that group members tend to become more extreme in their decisions after group discussions, in the setting of virtual communities, specifically on stock message boards.

## References

Chen, H. M. (2013). Group polarization in virtual communities: the case of stock message boards. *iConference 2013 Proceedings* (pp. 185-195). <https://doi.org/10.9776/13174>


---

