Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Emotional Dynamics, Algorithmic Amplification Mechanisms, and Opinion Polarization in Celebrity Fan Culture on Social Media Platforms

Ziqing YuXi’an Gaoxin No.1 High School*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

On social media, celebrity fan culture, often known as fandom culture, has rown into a prominent collective phenomenon, reshaping digital public discourse through intense user engagement and the development of online communities. This paper investigates the interplay among emotional mobilization, opinion rigidity, and opinion polarization within fan communities, and their influence on the online public opinion ecosystem. By integrating theories and prior studies on public opinion, emotional contagion, and algorithmic effects, it examines how fan communities' structures, emotional ties, and identity politics encourage opinion stability and conformity. In addition, it further explores how emotional framing by fan leaders shifts factual debates into emotional conflicts and accelerates opinion diffusion, while data-driven recommendation systems on social media amplify these effects through echo chambers, filter bubbles, and a bias toward high-arousal content. Key findings reveal that emotional mobilization and algorithmic amplification synergistically intensify group antagonism and opinion polarization. The study further discusses implications for platform governance, such as algorithmic optimization and institutional regulation, and highlights the need for media literacy and emotional regulation to reduce polarization.

Keywords: Celebrity Fan Culture; Social Media Public Opinion; Emotional Mobilization; Algorithmic Recommendation; Opinion Polarization
Published: April 7, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.BJ32521
Volume: CHR Vol.105
pp. 140-146
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