AUTHOR=Demirci Ali , Peker-Dobie Ayse , Harman Sevgi 

TITLE=Modeling opinion polarization: can we control public discourse?

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physics

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics/articles/10.3389/fphy.2025.1626026

DOI=10.3389/fphy.2025.1626026

ISSN=2296-424X

ABSTRACT=IntroductionPublic opinion dynamics shape societal discourse, with engagement levels influencing the balance between polarization and depolarization.MethodsWe present a compartmental model inspired by epidemiology to analyze opinion dissemination under external interventions. The model categorizes individuals into susceptible, exposed, positive, negative, and mixed-emotion communicators, with a time-dependent step function u(t) modeling controlled engagement surges during a finite intervention period.ResultsOur analysis focuses specifically on the effects of temporary interventions rather than long-term system evolution. The results highlight engagement as a key control mechanism in shaping ideological stability.DiscussionReal-world interventions, such as government-imposed access restrictions, demonstrate how targeted engagement shifts influence public discourse. This study provides a mathematical framework for understanding how external interventions drive opinion evolution and offers insights into managing polarization in digital and social environments.