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Лингво-семиотический подход к реконструкции медийных социальных представлений
The theory of social representations developed by Serge Moscovici underscores the pivotal role played by media communication in shaping collective understandings of objects and processes within social reality. In contemporary society, where nearly every form of communication has become deeply intertwined with media, it follows logically that social representations are not only formed but also continually transformed, transmitted, and reinterpreted through interactions with the media. To capture the dynamic relationship between media and social cognition, we introduce the concept of Media Social Representations (MSR). MSR refers to the socially constructed set of interpretations about the external world, which are embedded within the cognitive-semiotic framework of the media and the cognitive frameworks of audiences. It encapsulates how individuals collectively perceive and understand the realities portrayed through media channels. The structure of MSR manifests itself in two dimensions: content and form. On the one hand, the content represents the socially constructed interpretations of events, people, or phenomena. On the other hand, the form of MSR comprises the actual representations embedded within media discourse. These representations are often multilayered, incorporating textual, visual, auditory and kinetic elements that interact dynamically to produce specific effects on audiences.
Reconstructing the content of MSR involves examining the meanings encoded in various signifiers present in media texts. The proposed approach includes the definition of the thematic domain, the analysis of the nominative function of signs to determine denotative meanings, and, accordingly, thematic anchoring and objectification of the MSR, as well as the expressive function to identify connotations and determine emotional anchoring and objectification. At the discursive level, the applied discursive strategies of propaganda, promotion (media framing) and dissemination (education, information) are considered. The presented approach, through an appeal to the basic concepts of linguistics and semiotics, allows access to shared ideas of the media and the audience, objectified in the media discourse.
Ultimately, the study of MSR offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how societies come to collectively construct and negotiate their realities through engagement with mass media.