Can Political Orientation Explain the Social Structure of Online Aggression? Integrating Social Media and Survey Data

Abstract

Are people with lower social status more likely to post aggressive content online? And if yes, can this be explained by people's political views? Some previous attempts to approach these questions have been insufficiently comprehensive and methodologically sound. This study therefore expands the existing literature on online aggression with both a sociologically grounded, theoretical model of the interplay of social and political determinants and an innovative empirical data triangulation design. The study matches behavioral data from a social media platform with survey data providing extensive social and political information about users. Findings suggest that online aggression is more likely among users with an ascribed social status that is associated with power claims (male gender, older age, and national citizenship) and with a disadvantaged achieved social status (lower education, lower incomes, unemployment, and rural residence). Left–right leaning, populism, and trust in institutions can explain between 20 and 40 percent of these structural effects. The results help tailor measures that counter online aggression to specific risk groups.