Research On The Influence Of Information Cocoon Room On Public Opinion Group Polarization In The New Media Era

In the new media era,the new structure of content-driven tribal communication and the wide application of algorithm recommendation technology enable various software platforms to filter and present massive information,thereby meeting personal information needs.However,excessive focus on information can easily lead to personal cognitive bias and bring the risk of information cocooning.Individuals with information cocoons are more likely to face the problem of group polarization of public opinion under the agglomeration of the network,and stimulate intergroup emotions in the clustering and exclusion characteristics of echo chambers.Information narrowing and prejudice reinforcement occur at the same time,expanding intergroup divisions,leading to the differentiation of group opinions and the shift of attitudes within groups.New media software taking Douyin as an example has the characteristics of real-time sharing,fragmented communication and social entertainment,which is deeply loved by college students,but the social practice experience of college students is insufficient,and the three views are still in the cultivation stage,and the impact of online information on their cognition and behavior cannot be underestimated.Therefore,taking the information risks that college students may face when using Douyin as an example,this paper studies the influence of information cocoon on the polarization of public opinion groups,and whether the echo chamber effect can play a mediating effect in the polarization of public opinion groups.Guided by social comparison theory,social identity theory and silent spiral theory,this paper takes the information cocoon as the antecedent variable,the public opinion group polarization as the result variable,and the echo chamber effect as the mediating variable,and focuses on the relationship between the three key variables based on the theoretical path of "personal information dilemma-group opinion gathering interaction-public opinion group polarization".Through the combing of relevant literature,it is found that the information cocoon room has a promoting effect on the polarization of public opinion groups,which has been confirmed by the academic community,but the mechanism behind it has rarely been studied.Therefore,this paper innovatively introduces the echo chamber effect as an intermediary variable,arguing that the information cocoon can cause the resonance and swelling of opinions between individuals in the echo chamber,amplify the original characteristics of the information cocoon room,and promote the polarization of public opinion groups.In order to test this hypothesis,this paper conducted a multi-segment sample of online questionnaire surveys among students from ten universities in the main urban area of Chongqing,and used regression analysis and intermediary testing to analyze the data.The results show that:(1)the information cocoon has a significant effect on the polarization of public opinion groups;(2)The information cocoon room has a positive impact on the three dimensional indicators of the polarization of public opinion groups;(3)The echo chamber effect plays a partial role as a mediator for the polarization of public opinion groups;(4)The echo chamber effect can play a partially mediating role in the polarization of public opinion groups through information homogenization,content customization and information seeking singleness.The research conclusion of this paper provides empirical support for the influence of information cocoon on the polarization of public opinion groups,and provides a reference for college students to reduce the polarization of public opinion,which has certain theoretical and practical significance for understanding the polarization of public opinion groups on the Douyin short video platform.