PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE PERCEPTION OF MANIPULATIVE MEDIA CONTENT: INTERNATIONAL THEORIES AND UKRAINIAN PRACTICE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31392/Keywords:
propaganda, media content, psychological influence, cognitive biases, information and psychological operations, media literacy.Abstract
The article presents a theoretical and psychological analysis of the phenomenon of propaganda as a specific type of media content aimed at shaping collective beliefs and regulating emotional and volitional states in the digital environment. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing intensity of information and psychological operations and the transformation of media behavior during wartime, when algorithmic platforms amplify polarization and the excess of signals provokes cognitive simplifications. The paper generalizes key theoretical approaches from global and Ukrainian scholarship (social learning theory, agenda-setting, propaganda model, genetic psychology of personality) and systematizes the main psychological mechanisms of propagandist influence: framing and priming, repetition effect, emotional contagion, cognitive heuristics, and symbolic violence. It is demonstrated that susceptibility to manipulation varies across social groups: young people are more vulnerable to the influence of social media; middle-aged audiences interact with hybrid media flows and adapt their trust in information sources; older groups rely predominantly on television and traditional mass media. Special attention is given to digital technologies (algorithmic recommendations, bot networks, targeting, deepfakes) that increase emotional tension, create information overload, and reduce critical reflection. The practical significance of the research lies in the possibility of applying its results to develop educational programs on media literacy and information self-regulation, psychological support initiatives in information crises, and improvements in state communication policy. The study also suggests the creation of diagnostic indicators for assessing group vulnerability to manipulative influence. Future research directions include empirical measurement of cognitive and emotional effects of propaganda, verification of psychological resilience strategies, and the development of digital hygiene tools to strengthen citizens’ psychological stability in the hybrid media environment.
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