Agendamelding and out-group derogation
Examining how aggregated content can be used to prove in-group membership
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
(n = 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.
Article outline
- Review of literature
- Agendamelding theory
- In-group out-group formation
- Reddit
- Methodology
- Results
- Qualitative
- Frame 1: Changed angle
- Frame 2: Outlet talked about
- Frame 3: Derogation as news
- Frame 4: Outsourced derogation
- Frame 5: Derogative meme
- Frame 6: News as news
- Conclusion
- Discussion
-
References
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Cited by (2)
Cited by two other publications
Buturoiu, Raluca, Nicoleta Corbu & Mădălina Boțan
2023.
Introduction. In
Patterns of News Consumption in a High-Choice Media Environment [
Springer Studies in Media and Political Communication, ],
► pp. 1 ff.

Riley, Jeffrey K.
2022.
Angry Enough to Riot: An Analysis of In-Group Membership, Misinformation, and Violent Rhetoric on TheDonald.win Between Election Day and Inauguration.
Social Media + Society 8:2

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