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Abstract

Abstract

This study is a mixed-method quantitative and qualitative content analysis that examined the overlapping presence of agendamelding theory and in-group out-group formation on the social media platform Reddit. The study looked at the top 10 posts for one month ( = 310) on the pro-Donald Trump subreddit /r/The_Donald. The results show that media choice was used to prove membership to the in-group, often by derogating the media used by the out-group. Specific patterns emerged within the derogative language as well. Links to left-wing and neutral news media sites were often commented on and criticized, while the content of the linked news article was ignored or changed. Right-wing news media sites, which were used as news sources rather than commentary, were typically posted without changes, unlike neutral news media sites, which were often posted in a mocking manner. As agendamelding suggests, participants sought to avoid dissonance by posting media to fit within the community.

© John Benjamins
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/content/journals/10.1075/asj.18017.ril
2018-11-13
2025-04-23

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/content/journals/10.1075/asj.18017.ril
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Agendamelding and out-group derogation
The Agenda Setting Journal 2, 124 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1075/asj.18017.ril
/content/journals/10.1075/asj.18017.ril
/content/journals/10.1075/asj.18017.ril
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): agendamelding; content analysis; digital communities; in-group out-group; reddit; social media

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