Theory construction: Questions exam
preparation
Positivism: For two different topics
Topic 1: polarization in Flanders
Question 1: Write TWO positivist research questions? What? What determines X?
To what extent do media consumption patterns determine the rise of polarization in Flanders between 1990 and
2025?
Question 2: Write TWO positivist thesis statements that address cause and effect.
In this paper, I argue that media consumption has a significant impact on the increase in polarization in Flanders
between, 2010 and 2025. From a positivist perspective, I will demonstrate how media consumption, particularly
through social media, promotes the spread of polarized information. A clear trend is observed in which the rise of
social media is associated with an increase in polarization. Older citizens primarily use traditional media, with media
consumption having limited impact on political polarization. In contrast, social media consumption has a significantly
stronger impact on the increase of polarization in Flanders. This because social media algorithms reinforce beliefs by
showing mostly like-minded opinions, which creates echo-chambers and increases polarization. This paper examines
quantitative data on media consumption, such as the rise of digital (news) platforms and the spread of extreme
political messages trough social media, to show how these factors measurably contribute to the increase of
polarization in Flanders. By analyzing this data, I will identify causal links between media consumption and
polarization, with a focus on objective, measurable effects.
Question 3: Write TWO independent and dependent variables in your positivist research.
In this research I will investigate the influence of media consumption on the rise of polarization in Flanders. For this
purpose, I define the following independent and dependent variables.
1 Media consumption is the independent variable: the variable that is manipulated or observes to see it’s
influence on the dependent variable
2 Polarization is the dependent variable, which is measured to determine whether and how it is affected by
the independent variable
Question 4: write THREE examples of specific positivist questions that you would ask your research participants.
1. "How many hours per week do you spend consuming news from social media platforms such as Facebook,
Twitter, or Instagram?" (0-1 hour, 1-2 hours, 2-3 hours,…)
(This question seeks to quantify the amount of media consumption.)
2. "On a scale from 1 to 5, how often do you encounter political content that aligns with your existing beliefs on
your social media feed?"
(This question measures the frequency of exposure to aligned political content, which may influence
polarization.)
3. "Have you noticed a significant shift in your political opinions or views over the past 5 years, and to what
extent do you believe this shift is influenced by media consumption?"
(This question aims to measure the relationship between media consumption and changes in political views,
contributing to polarization.)
I would collect quantitative data through a survey. Initially based on the time people spend consuming different types
of media, such as social media platforms and traditional news media. My sample is based on different age categories,
since the way media consumption is expected to depend on the variable age. The age categories are 18-30, 31-50,
51-60, 61+ years. Since media consumption is a behavioral trait, I can quantitatively measure it using a Likert scale.
, The degree of polarization is seek to question in the survey using questions focused on their political beliefs,
emotional intensity, degree of identification with social or political group, and trust in politicians. To ultimately
determine the degree of polarization, I intend to use the political polarization index.
In addition to the survey, I use official statics to make my research stronger. The survey gives me individual insights
into media use and political polarization, while statistics help to understand broader trends in the population. For
example, data on how many people in Flanders use social media, such as Facebook or Instagram, put my findings in a
broader framework. Also, polls or statistical information on political polarization allow me to compare individual
response with what is happening at the societal level. This allows me to compare my survey results (individual
participants’ responses) with data that already exists about society as a whole. This helps me to get a more complete
picture of how media use is related to polarization in Flanders.
Question 5: Discuss potential constraints or issues that could arise from employing a positivist methodology in your
research
Because I focus only on objective data and empirical observations, I do not take into account respondents’ personal
experiences. This ensures that survey respondents do not have the opportunity to provide detailed information. In
addition, there is ‘central tendency bias”. This means that some respondents tend to choose answers in the middle of
the scale (such as neutral or moderate), which affect the internal validity of the survey as this biases the variation in
the data and may lead to an underestimation of the relationship between polarization and media consumption.
Which makes it difficult to draw conclusions about causal relationships or trends.
Moreover, some subjectivity may creep into the Answers. Since I work with Likert Scales, completing the score 5 out
of 10, may be perceived as a 9 for another person. These differences make it difficult to compare answers objectively.
Also, by questioning a sensitive topic (such as political affiliation), bias can occur such as socially desirable answers.
preparation
Positivism: For two different topics
Topic 1: polarization in Flanders
Question 1: Write TWO positivist research questions? What? What determines X?
To what extent do media consumption patterns determine the rise of polarization in Flanders between 1990 and
2025?
Question 2: Write TWO positivist thesis statements that address cause and effect.
In this paper, I argue that media consumption has a significant impact on the increase in polarization in Flanders
between, 2010 and 2025. From a positivist perspective, I will demonstrate how media consumption, particularly
through social media, promotes the spread of polarized information. A clear trend is observed in which the rise of
social media is associated with an increase in polarization. Older citizens primarily use traditional media, with media
consumption having limited impact on political polarization. In contrast, social media consumption has a significantly
stronger impact on the increase of polarization in Flanders. This because social media algorithms reinforce beliefs by
showing mostly like-minded opinions, which creates echo-chambers and increases polarization. This paper examines
quantitative data on media consumption, such as the rise of digital (news) platforms and the spread of extreme
political messages trough social media, to show how these factors measurably contribute to the increase of
polarization in Flanders. By analyzing this data, I will identify causal links between media consumption and
polarization, with a focus on objective, measurable effects.
Question 3: Write TWO independent and dependent variables in your positivist research.
In this research I will investigate the influence of media consumption on the rise of polarization in Flanders. For this
purpose, I define the following independent and dependent variables.
1 Media consumption is the independent variable: the variable that is manipulated or observes to see it’s
influence on the dependent variable
2 Polarization is the dependent variable, which is measured to determine whether and how it is affected by
the independent variable
Question 4: write THREE examples of specific positivist questions that you would ask your research participants.
1. "How many hours per week do you spend consuming news from social media platforms such as Facebook,
Twitter, or Instagram?" (0-1 hour, 1-2 hours, 2-3 hours,…)
(This question seeks to quantify the amount of media consumption.)
2. "On a scale from 1 to 5, how often do you encounter political content that aligns with your existing beliefs on
your social media feed?"
(This question measures the frequency of exposure to aligned political content, which may influence
polarization.)
3. "Have you noticed a significant shift in your political opinions or views over the past 5 years, and to what
extent do you believe this shift is influenced by media consumption?"
(This question aims to measure the relationship between media consumption and changes in political views,
contributing to polarization.)
I would collect quantitative data through a survey. Initially based on the time people spend consuming different types
of media, such as social media platforms and traditional news media. My sample is based on different age categories,
since the way media consumption is expected to depend on the variable age. The age categories are 18-30, 31-50,
51-60, 61+ years. Since media consumption is a behavioral trait, I can quantitatively measure it using a Likert scale.
, The degree of polarization is seek to question in the survey using questions focused on their political beliefs,
emotional intensity, degree of identification with social or political group, and trust in politicians. To ultimately
determine the degree of polarization, I intend to use the political polarization index.
In addition to the survey, I use official statics to make my research stronger. The survey gives me individual insights
into media use and political polarization, while statistics help to understand broader trends in the population. For
example, data on how many people in Flanders use social media, such as Facebook or Instagram, put my findings in a
broader framework. Also, polls or statistical information on political polarization allow me to compare individual
response with what is happening at the societal level. This allows me to compare my survey results (individual
participants’ responses) with data that already exists about society as a whole. This helps me to get a more complete
picture of how media use is related to polarization in Flanders.
Question 5: Discuss potential constraints or issues that could arise from employing a positivist methodology in your
research
Because I focus only on objective data and empirical observations, I do not take into account respondents’ personal
experiences. This ensures that survey respondents do not have the opportunity to provide detailed information. In
addition, there is ‘central tendency bias”. This means that some respondents tend to choose answers in the middle of
the scale (such as neutral or moderate), which affect the internal validity of the survey as this biases the variation in
the data and may lead to an underestimation of the relationship between polarization and media consumption.
Which makes it difficult to draw conclusions about causal relationships or trends.
Moreover, some subjectivity may creep into the Answers. Since I work with Likert Scales, completing the score 5 out
of 10, may be perceived as a 9 for another person. These differences make it difficult to compare answers objectively.
Also, by questioning a sensitive topic (such as political affiliation), bias can occur such as socially desirable answers.
