A Social Network Analysis on Climate Change Polarization

In 2023 I began to learn and use social network analysis (SNA) for science of science (SoS) research in the Metadata Lab. I grew some interest in this method and to complete my research practicum, I conducted a project on climate change skeptics and believers on YouTube. I used SNA to plot the users who commented on videos and others on whether to believe or deny anthropogenic climate change.

I collected data on YouTube comments using the free YouTube API key of videos that agree or deny climate change. This polarized topic has gained popularity among scientists, non-scientists, influencers, politicians, etc. even though there is evidence of human-caused global warming. It is an interesting issue because people are skeptical of climate change for one or multiple reasons:

(1) Knowledge

(2) Critical reasoning

(3) Political/Socio- Identity

And possibly (4) The value of good science inquiry, which denies some scientific evidence as valid and trustworthy due to it not meeting standards of objective, rigorous scientific research process. Currently, I am trying to study the 4th reason on a group of scientists who claim to be climate change deniers, or at least skeptics.