Media text as a tool for shaping images of consciousness

 

MEDIA TEXT AS A TOOL FOR FORMING IMAGES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

In the modern world, studying the work of the media has become particularly relevant. It should be noted that the media often act as intermediaries in the transmission of information, making print and electronic media a powerful tool for shaping public consciousness. Reality today is constructed by the media, and almost everything we know about the world is acquired through our perception of the media. Currently, the study of media texts utilizes a full range of modern scientific methods, from traditional systems and content analysis to psychological and psycholinguistic approaches, owing to the interdisciplinary nature of media discourse research. Applying methods from various disciplines to media analysis allows for a comprehensive understanding of the real properties of media texts, specifically examining their impact on both individual and public consciousness, as well as assessing the interactions between the verbal and nonverbal components of a media text.

This study utilizes a psycholinguistic approach to the study of creolized media texts. Understanding of creolized texts is accomplished through analogical representation, i.e., a mental image is formed similar to the image (e.g., visual or acoustic) of the object a person is currently observing. Mental images are formed during the perception of an object or phenomenon, and, once stored in the mind, are subsequently used as a perceptual standard against which the individual will compare subsequently perceived objects when perceiving a similar object or phenomenon. This study utilized psychosemantic methods, which provide material for the analysis of everyday consciousness through the use of criteria for assessing the mental images formed by respondents.

Keywords: media text, image of consciousness, creolized text, media discourse, semantic differential.

Ju Junsheng, M. Matveev, Li Yajun

MEDIATEXT AS INSTRUMENT OF MENTAL IMAGES' FORMATION

In the modern world the study of media has the particular importance. It should be noted that the media often plays the role of facilitator in the process of information transmission, so print and electronic media are a powerful tool of formation of public consciousness. The reality today is constructed by media and almost everything we know about the world we get from media. Currently the whole range of techniques of modern science is used for the study of media texts – from traditional methods of system and content analysis to attract psychological and psycholinguistic methods. Application of methods of different sciences to analyze media allows you to obtain a comprehensive idea about the real properties of mediatexts, in particular to examine their impact on individual and public consciousness. This study uses a psycholinguistic approach to the study of creolized media texts. Understanding of creolized text is performed by an analog display, ie a way of consciousness that is similar to the image (eg, visual or acoustic) of the object that a person is watching at the moment. The images of consciousness formed during the perception of objects and phenomena, and further, having been stored in the mind, the perception of such an object or phenomenon, used as a perceptual standard to which the individual will carry out a comparison of perceived items later.

Keywords: mediatext, image consciousness, creolized text, discourse, semantic differential.

 

In the modern world, studying the work of the media has become especially relevant. It should be noted that the media often act as intermediaries in the transmission of information, making print and electronic media a powerful tool for shaping public consciousness. Some researchers, such as S.G. Korkonosenko, even claim that "journalism can be thought of as a cultural institution" [7, p. 19].

According to the German sociologist N. Luhmann, reality today is constructed by the mass media, and almost everything we know about the world we receive through the perception of the media [8, p. 15]. N. Luhmann even identifies a separate form of existence of reality – mass media reality, which he defines as «reality created by the media» [Ibid., p. 20]. The tool for creating mass media reality is the media text, which includes newspaper articles, radio broadcasts, television broadcasts, Internet content and other types of media products. Following Ya.N. Zasursky, one can define a media text as a new communication product [6, p. 3], the characteristic features of which are inclusion in different media structures (verbal, visual, audio and multimedia plans) and in different media circumstances (newspaper, magazine, radio, Internet, etc.), i.e. it can be argued that the media text is a creolized text. This idea is confirmed by K.A. Rogova, who states that «it is enough to turn to practically any newspaper text to be convinced of its inherent intonational qualities» [12, p. 347]. In addition, K.A. Rogova asserts that «the modern periodical press is distinguished by an enormous diversity, primarily of newspaper publications of various formats» [11, p. 584].

Currently, the full range of modern scientific methods is applied to media text studies, from traditional systems and content analysis to psychological and psycholinguistic approaches, owing to the interdisciplinary nature of media discourse research. Applying methods from various disciplines to media analysis allows for a comprehensive understanding of the real properties of media texts, specifically examining their impact on both individual and public consciousness, as well as assessing the interactions between the verbal and nonverbal components of a media text.

Moreover, one cannot but agree with the point of view of K.A. Rogova, who asserts that «different types of texts reveal diverse connections with non-verbal codes – the formality of business texts (for example, the presence of details and their standard placement on a sheet) becomes the norm for them, in scientific texts – graphs, diagrams, tables, etc. perform primarily a metatextual role as a means of demonstrating the conclusions obtained as a result of research, in newspaper and journalistic texts photographs (less often drawings) act as a factor in the reliability of the message, they play a similar role in advertising texts, where they actualize the fact of the attractiveness of the advertised» [10, p. 60].

This study will use a psycholinguistic approach to the study of creolized media texts.

We believe that the understanding of a creolized text is achieved through analogical representation, i.e. an image of consciousness is formed, similar to the image (for example, visual or acoustic) of the object that a person is observing at the moment.

In this regard, we agree with K.A. Rogova, who asserts that "the verbal and iconic (drawing, photograph) parts are organic components of a creolized text. They do not form a sum of meanings, but are combined into a complexly organized meaning" [Ibid., p. 55]. Consequently, it is not the object itself that is perceived, but its reflection, processed by our consciousness. The same process occurs when perceiving a word: we understand not the word itself, but its meaning, i.e., the image of consciousness that is formed by the stimulus word.

Images of consciousness are formed during the perception of an object or phenomenon, and, subsequently, being stored in consciousness, when perceiving a similar object or phenomenon, they are used as a perceptual standard with which the individual will compare subsequently perceived objects. Taking into account the above, one can agree with G. Gleitman, A. Fridlund and D. Reisberg, who believe that «much of our knowledge exists in the form of analogies called mental images» [5, pp. 351-352]. Next, we turn to an examination of the mechanism of using images of consciousness when working with creolized texts. As S.E. Polyakov notes, «instead of concepts mental or mental images, common in modern foreign psychology, in Russian psychology the concepts are usually used images of representation, perception and memory"» [9, p. 115].

To do this, we will use the definitions given by S.E. Polyakov:

‒ images of perception; this type of image is formed in the process of perceiving objects of real reality by comparing the identified object with the image existing in the observer’s consciousness and acting as a perceptual standard, and the set of sensory features of the perceived object represents the objective meaning of the word denoting this object;

‒ images of representation; This type of imagery emerges outside the specific process of perception, whether by the object of consciousness itself or by another person. Representational images arise from existing perceptual images, but do not copy them. At the same time, representational images are not simply copies of perceptual images, but rather variants of them supplemented by subjective experience.;

‒ images of memory; Represent images of objects once perceived by the subject of consciousness. According to researchers, they are more specific, detailed, stable, concrete, and repeat each time in a very similar form, in contrast to images of representation, which do not repeat in the same form, in the same space [Ibid., p. 121]. It is also generally accepted that memory images are combined with plausible conclusions about the lived situation [1, p. 214]. It can be considered that memory images are images of perception processed by consciousness.

The article further discusses the results of an experiment aimed at identifying the psychological mechanisms underlying the formation of representational images using media texts.

This study utilized psychosemantic methods, which allow for the collection of material for the analysis of everyday consciousness through the use of criteria for assessing the images of consciousness formed by respondents. It should be specifically emphasized that experimental research methods are significantly superior to observation. One cannot fail to note the advantage of the experimental method, as highlighted by R. L. Atkinson, R. S. Atkinson, and E. E. Smith: "The experimental method differs from other methods of scientific observation... in the possibility of exercising precise control over variables" [2, p. 36]. The use of experimental psychosemantic techniques became possible thanks to the creation of a mathematical model of individual consciousness—semantic space. Semantic space is a system of attributes describing objects of a certain reality. Various attributes of an object can be represented as coordinate axes of a multidimensional semantic space, with objects representing points in this space, the attribute values of these objects representing coordinates or projections of points onto the axes, and the differences between objects representing distances between points [15].

This experiment utilized Charles Osgood's semantic differential (SD) method. The semantic differential method combines scaling and controlled associations.

SD is a method for quantitative and qualitative research into the meanings of concepts or objects using a set of mono- and bipolar scales with a specific number of divisions. The scales utilize two antonymous adjectives or other similar oppositions. Subjects were asked to categorize presented objects across sixteen bipolar scales with scores ranging from -3 to 3 [16]. The psychosemantic experiment is conducted according to the following scheme: respondents are asked to rate the presented set of objects using a specially calibrated scale. The results obtained in this way are combined and then processed using factor analysis [17].

Experimental material

For the experiment, several texts were selected that described various surrounding objects with characteristic features: house, boots, hospital and mountain.

 

The following are the texts used as stimulus material:

Text 1.

Khovrinskaya abandoned hospital (KhZB, Khovrinka, Umbrella, Unfinished) ‒ A building in the Northern Administrative Okrug of Moscow, in the Khovrino district, near the Khovrino railway station. The building's address is 2 Klinskaya St., Bldg. 1, Moscow.

Construction of the hospital began in 1980 and was halted in 1985. Since then, the building remains unfinished and dilapidated (as of April 2017). The city clinical multidisciplinary hospital with 1,300 beds was designed by architects I. Ya. Yadrov and A. Saukke and designers I. A. Tsfas and E. Antonov. The building is constructed in the brutalist style.

The building's layout is unique among similar Soviet-era buildings. The hospital is designed as a three-pointed star with branches at the ends. The building's three wings converge in the middle, while the side sections form three courtyards occupied by annexes. An annex is located next to the main building. ‒ building of the pathological anatomy department.

Due to the unfinished nature of the construction, sections of walls and interfloor ceilings are missing in some areas. The building's basements are not flooded. The construction halt, according to one theory, was due to a lack of funding; according to another, to design flaws (or geological exploration). ‒ The building is slowly sinking underground.

The abandoned building is well known among urban legend enthusiasts as one of Moscow's mystical sites. Among stalkers, the building is nicknamed "Umbrella" due to its shape, which resembles the Umbrella Corporation logo from the Resident Evil video game series and the film Resident Evil, as well as the biohazard symbol.           

 

On the second floor is a memorial to Alexei Krayushkin. The 16-year-old died in 2005 after throwing himself from a roof due to unrequited love. The walls of the unfinished building are covered in copious graffiti. One of the most famous inscriptions ‒ «"This hospital ‒ "The land of wonders, I went into it and disappeared there!!!"» [4].

 

Text 2.

Pointed-toe boots

Pointed-toe boots have recently become fashionable among Mexicans.«Botas picudas Mexicanas»"They stand out due to their elongated toes. This fashionable footwear has become popular not only in Mexico but also in America since 2009. Young people have developed a fascination with shoes with long toes that have become a virtual fetish. It has even gotten to the point where the tips are literally curled into a spiral. It is said that such shoes first appeared in the city of Matehuala in the northeast of the country. There, young people have begun to appear more and more often in these unusual guachero shoes. It is believed that the length of the toe of such shoes determines the coolness of their owners. All over Mexico, clubbers now prefer to wear such shoes. New-fashioned footwear. It's common to wear cowboy attire with them—a hat, jeans, belts, and shirts. While this look may seem clownish to outsiders, Mexicans themselves embrace it. Guacheros are also traditionally worn with skinny jeans, which visually lengthen the toe.    

The record-breaking boots reach two meters in length. This shape is achieved by attaching ordinary rubber hoses. They are covered in leather and brightly painted. The price for making a guachero from ordinary boots starts at $30 [14].

 

Text 3.

«The Crooked House»                                                               

In 2004, an unusual house was built in the Polish city of Sopot. A fantastical-looking building, later dubbed the "Crooked House." Its design was created by Swedish artist Per Dahlberg, inspired by the fairy tales of Jan Marcin Szanser. He conceived the building as a fairytale. It's worth noting that he succeeded in bringing his vision to life. The "Crooked House" in Sopot defies logic. It's quite popular online. The jury of the "Great Dreamers" competition named the "Crooked House" the best architectural project. Numerous tourists flock to take souvenir photos against the backdrop of this unusual structure. Today, it houses a shopping center with numerous shops, cafes, and bars. [13]. 

Text 4.

The unique Mount Roraima is located in northern South America, at the junction of Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana. The mountain's highest point is 2,723 meters above sea level, and its flat summit is a plateau covering approximately 34 square meters. It is considered a sacred site, and local indigenous people call it the navel of the earth.              

The mountain offers a fantastic view, and it was Roraima that inspired Arthur Conan Doyle to write the novel. A Lost World. A large cloud constantly hangs over Roraima. [19].

Experimental methodology and data processing

Subjects rated the presented objects according to 16 classic bipolar seven-point scales of Charles Osgood's semantic differential, and then the resulting data matrix was subjected to factor analysis using the 8P88 statistical package. The experimental instructions were standard: "Please rate on a scale from -3 to 3 the extent to which each of the following qualities characterizes the presented objects.

 

Experimental procedure

To evaluate the test object, the subject was given a form. When evaluating perceptual images, the subject was able to see the object the entire time they were evaluating it. To evaluate memory images, subjects scaled the objects from memory. Next, semantic spaces were constructed, the axes of which were the vectors of the identified factors. The presented objects were localized in these spaces, the coordinates of which were the factor loadings for each factor, summed across all subjects. Eighty-four respondents from Moscow, aged 18–24, participated in the experiment; the ratio of men to women was approximately equal. The resulting summary matrices were processed in the statistical package (SPPP) using factor analysis, followed by the transformation of the factors into simple structures. As a result of data processing, four factors were identified. The results were then presented as semantic spaces and divided into factors. The factors were named based on the scales they comprised and listed in descending order of their contribution to the overall variance.

Below are the abbreviations used in the graphs and their explanations: 1t – boots, 2t – mountain, 3t – hospital, 4t – house.

1) The "assessment" factor« (Figure 1).

The factor «evaluation» has the greatest influence on the emerging images of consciousness, which is consistent with the point of view of A. Tesser, who asserts that «our evaluation of things influences how we think about things much more strongly than any other factor» [18, p. 401]. Evaluation is understood as «a positive or negative response (reaction) to any person, thing or idea, which can be expressed in affect, cognition and/or behavior» [Ibid., p. 404]. In this case, the following pattern is revealed: images of consciousness formed with the help of creolized texts based on images Houses и mountains are rated by respondents as positive, while the images hospitals и boot – as negative. This pattern can be explained by the use of evaluative adjectives with positive connotations in texts about the house and the mountain, – unusual, fantastic, inspired, popular, best, sacred; while in the text Adjectives with negative connotations can be noted about the hospital, abandoned, dilapidated. Negative assessment Mexican boots The bearers of Russian culture can be explained by intra-group favoritism, i.e., «a positively biased perception of one’s own group» [3].

 

2) The "activity" factor« (Figure 2).

This graph shows that respondents rated the images of consciousness formed with the help of creolized texts about house и boots, as active, while the images formed with the help of texts about mountain и hospital – as inactive. This phenomenon can be explained by the influence of the semantics of the verbal parts of creolized texts and the objects described in them, – boots are intended for walking and movement, and in house there is a shopping center designed for the entertainment of people, while abandoned hospital It is not currently in use and the mountain is not associated with any activities.

Figure 2. Strength-Activity Graph«

 

3) The "strength" factor« (Figure 3).

According to this graph, the subjects rated the images of consciousness formed with the help of creolized texts about house и boots, as weak, while the image of the texts about mountain и hospital -how strong. This perimeter is likely influenced by a perceptual standard, namely the dimensions of the depicted objects, mountain и hospital have large dimensions, while boots и house have a noticeably smaller size.

 

Figure 3. Strength-Score Graph«

 

4) The Simplicity Factor« (Figure 4).

Taking into account the data obtained during the survey, it can be stated that the respondents are describing images formed in the course of consciousness Houses и hospitals, as complex and unusual, at the same time, the image boot и mountains - both simple and ordinary. Boots are not perceived as something unusual based on the description, since respondents did not see an image of the data boot and they have a perceptual standard boot with long noses (probably respondents are not aware of how long the noses actually are), while perceptual standards crooked house и abandoned hospital respondents do not have any. As for mountains, then, in this case, there is a balancing of these two factors, the object itself is ordinary, and most respondents saw mountains, i.e. they formed a perceptual standard for the word «mountain»", however, the description given in this text does not correspond to the existing perceptual standard, which also contributes to the assessment of this image of consciousness.

 

Figure 4. Graph «Simplicity, Ordinariness – Evaluation»

 

Having analyzed the values of the indicators obtained during the described experiment, we can conclude that the indicators of mental images depend on several variables: the expressive means used in the verbal part of the creolized text (e.g., epithets), the mention of characteristic features of the object described in the text (in this case, belonging to a foreign culture), and the semantics of the objects described in the text (assessed by respondents as active or inactive, as well as large or small). Furthermore, the characteristics of perceptual standards—images of consciousness formed in the subjects' consciousness during interaction with objects belonging to the same category as those being described—played a certain role in the respondents' judgments.

Thus, we can conclude that the use of media texts is widespread in the modern world, in part due to their powerful influence on recipients. The vast majority of modern media texts can be classified as creolized texts, as they consist of both verbal and nonverbal components. The influence of media texts can be studied using tools available within psycholinguistics, particularly the semantic differential, which allows for experimentally substantiated analyses of the influence of media text characteristics on the parameters of the audience's mental images. By identifying the patterns of this influence, we can draw theoretical conclusions about the functioning of consciousness in general and the influence of the verbal and nonverbal components of creolized texts on it, as well as provide practical recommendations for creating media texts that most effectively fulfill their author's objectives. For example, an experiment revealed that the characteristics of the resulting mental images are influenced by artistic expression, as well as the mention of characteristic features of the object being described. Furthermore, they are influenced by the semantics of the objects described in the text and the characteristics of perceptual standards.

 

 

Literature

1. Anderson J.R. Cognitive psychology. 5th ed. St. Petersburg: Piter, 2002. 496 p.
2. Atkinson R.L., Atkinson R.S., Smith E.E. and others. Introduction to Psychology. General editors: V.P. Zinchenko, A.I. Nazarov, N.Yu. Spomior. St. Petersburg: Prime-Euroznak, 2007. 672 p.
3. Verbitsky A. A. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology and Pedagogy. URL: http://psychology_pedagogy.academic.ru.
4. Wikipedia URL:https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A5%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%8

 

0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B0.

5. Gleitman G., Fridlund A., Reisberg D. Fundamentals of Psychology. SPb.: Rech, 2001. 1247 p.
6. Zasursky Ya.N. Editor's Column: Media Text in the Context of Convergence. Moscow University Bulletin. Series 10. Journalism. 2005, pp. 3–6.
7. 7. Korkonosenko S.G. Journalism as a Cultural Institution. Media in the Modern World. 58th St. Petersburg Readings. Collection of materials from the International Scientific Forum. In 2 volumes. Ed. V.V. Vasilyeva. 2019, pp. 19-20.
8. Luhmann N. Mass Media Reality. Translated from German by A. Yu. Antonovsky. Moscow: Praxis, 2005. 256 p.
9. Polyakov S.E.. Phenomenology of mental representations. SPb.: Piter, 2011. 688 p.
10. Rogova K.A. Linguistic aspect of creolized text: Yu. Rost, «Group portrait against the backdrop of the century.» Russian language abroad. 3(232). 54-61, 2012.
11. Rogova K.A. Syntax of newspaper and journalistic text. Effective verbal communication (Basic competencies). Pp. 583-585, 2014.
12. Rogova K.A. Oral speech in print media texts. Medialinguistics, 5 (3), pp. 346–353, 2018.
13. Find Out Everything!

URL:https://uznayvse.ru/interesting-facts/samyie-neobyichnyie-doma-v-mire.html.

14. Molomo URL: https://www.molomo.ru/inquiry/fancy_stuff.html
15. Osgood C. Studies on the generality of affective meaning systems. American Psychologist, 17(1). 1962. pp. 10-28. 16. Osgood CE, Suci GJ, Tannenbaum PH.The measurement of

 

meaning (No. 47). University of Illinois press. 1957.

17. Snider JG, Osgood CE. Semantic Differential Technique: A Sourcebook. Chicago: Aldine. 1969.
18. Tesser A. Attitudes and Attitude Change. Annual Review of Psychology, 41(1). 1990. pp. 479-523.

19. Tourweek URL: http://tourweek.ru/user/1240/blogs/111476/

 

 

 

References

1. Anderson J.R. Cognitive psychology. 5th ed. St. Petersburg: Piter. 2002 (In Russian).
2. Atkinson RL, Atkinson RS, Smit E. Ye. and dr. Introduction to Psychology. Under the general ed. V. P. Zinchenko, A. I. Nazarova, N. Y. U. Spomiora. St. Petersburg: Praym-Yevroznak. 2007 (In Russian).
3. Verbitskiy AA. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology and Pedagogy URL: http://psychology_pedagogy.academic.ru (In Russian).

4.Wikipedia                                                                                                                        URL:https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A5%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%80%D0B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B0 (In Russian).

5. 5. Gleytman G., Fridlund A., Raysberg D.Osnovy psychologii. [The basics of psychology] SPb.: Rech`. 2001 (In Russian).
6. 6. Zasurskiy YA.N. Editor's column: media text in the context of convergence. Moscow University Bulletin. Series 10. Journalism. pp. 3–6. 2005 (In Russian). 7. Korkonosenko SG. Journalism as an institution of culture. Media in the modern world. 58th St. Petersburg Readings. Collection of materials.

 

International scientific forum. In 2 volumes. Ed. VV Vasil`yeva. 19-20. 2019 (In Russian).

8. Luman N. Real mass media. [The reality of mass media] Per. s nem. A.YU. Antonovsky. M.: Praksis. 2005 (In Russian).
9. Polyakov SE. Phenomenology of mental representations. St. Petersburg: Piter. 2011 (In Russian).
10. Rogova KA. The linguistic aspect of the creolized text: Y. Rost «Group portrait against the backdrop of the century»] Russkiy yazyk za rubezhom. 3(232). 54-61. 2012 (In Russian).
11. Rogova KA. The syntax of a newspaper-journalistic text. Effective verbal communication (Basic competencies). pp. 583-585. 2014 (In Russian).
12. Rogova KA. Oral speech in printed media texts. Medialingvistika, 5 (3), pp. 346–353. 2018 (In Russian).
13. Find Out Everything!

URL: Electronic resource https://uznayvse.ru/interesting-facts/samyie-neobyichnyie-doma-v-mire.html.

14. Molomo URL: https://www.molomo.ru/inquiry/fancy_stuff.html
15. Osgood C. (1962). Studies on the generality of affective meaning systems. American Psychologist, 17(1). pp. 10-28. 1962.
16. Osgood CE, Suci GJ, Tannenbaum PH. The measurement of meaning (No. 47). 1957. University of Illinois press.
17. 17. Snider JG, Osgood CE. Semantic Differential Technique: A Sourcebook. Chicago: Aldine. 1969. Tesser A. Attitudes And Attitude Change. Annual Review of Psychology, 41(1). pp. 479-523. 1990.

19. Tourweek URL: http://tourweek.ru/user/1240/blogs/111476/