Understanding Polarizing Language: Developing a Coding Instrument

Polarizing language is a key mechanism through which intergroup boundaries are constructed and experienced, yet research has rarely specified how distinct linguistic strategies contribute to perceived polarization. This article develops and validates a coding instrument that conceptualizes polarizing language as a communicative process. Drawing on social identity, facework, and persuasion theories, we identify eight functionally distinct language strategies that intensify intergroup contrast or dampen counter-arguing. Across four studies, we link language use to audience perception and examine the generalizability of the framework. Study 1 applies the coding scheme to U.S. governors’ speeches. Study 2 examines audience perceptions of each strategy. Study 3 constructs a perception-weighted index integrating prevalence and perceived impact. Study 4 extends validation to congressional tweets, demonstrating that the categories are empirically distinguishable and applicable across communicative contexts using both manual and computational approaches. The approach advances the psychological measurement of polarizing discourse.