PECULIARITIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCE AND MANIPULATION IN SOCIAL NETWORKS ON THE FORMATION OF POLITICAL DISCOURSE
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Published:
Apr 1, 2025
Abstract
Abstract. The article explores the peculiarities of psychological influence and manipulation in social media on the formation of political discourse. The authors analyse the main methods of manipulation, including targeting, personalisation of content, the use of fake news and information bubbles, and their impact on public opinion. The article uses dialectical and comparative legal methods, as well as case studies to achieve its results. The article discusses in detail examples of political manipulation, in particular during the Russian- Ukrainian war, and suggests ways to neutralise these influences through the development of media literacy, the use of technology to detect fake news and strengthening media accountability. The findings contribute to the development of strategies to counter manipulation in the digital environment.
How to Cite
Pidlasa, O., & Shapovalova, A. (2025). PECULIARITIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCE AND MANIPULATION IN SOCIAL NETWORKS ON THE FORMATION OF POLITICAL DISCOURSE. Baltic Journal of Legal and Social Sciences, (1), 135-143. https://doi.org/10.30525/2592-8813-2025-1-15
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Keywords
disinformation, media literacy, case study, narrative, information bubble, fake news.
References
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3. Mamontova, E. V. (2023). Publichna analityka yak fenomen mediinoho dyskursu rosiisko-ukrainskoi viiny [Public analytics as a phenomenon of media discourse in the Russian-Ukrainian war]. Aktualni problemy polityky, (71), 136–143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/app.v71.2023.18 (in Ukrainian).
4. Mikava, N. M., Potapova I. M. (2024). Aspekty doslidzhennia anhlomovnoho politychnoho dyskursu [Aspects of research into English-language political discourse]. Zakarpatski filolohichni studii, 34, 120–124 (in Ukrainian).
5. Monse, C. (2023). How politics will impact digital marketing in 2024. Goodway media. Available at: https://goodway-media.com/blog/how-politics-will-impact-digital-marketing-in-2024 (accessed January 24, 2025).
6. Navalna, M., & Kostusiak, N. (2023) Ukrainian media during the war. Materialy mizhnarodnoi naukovoi konferentsii «Sotsialni nauky dlia rehionalnoho rozvytku 2022». Chastyna I. Problemy sotsiolohii ta upravlinskykh nauk, 67–84.
7. Nesterenko, Ye. (2024). Ideia «rozipiatoho khlopchyka zi Slovianska» ziavylasia shche 100 rokiv tomu: nezminni metody propahandy [The idea of the "crucified boy from Slavyansk" appeared 100 years ago: unchanged propaganda methods]. 2+2 Available at: https://2plus2.ua/pid-maskoyupropagandi/
novyny/ideya-rozipyatogo-hlopchika-zi-slovyanska-zyavilasya-sche-100-rokiv-tomunezminni-metodi-propagandi (accessed January 24, 2025) (in Ukrainian).
8. Nikolaets, Y. (2018). Rol mas-mediinoho dyskursu u formuvanni rehionalnoi identychnosti zhyteliv Donbasu kintsia ХХ – pochatku ХХІ st. [The role of mass media discourse in shaping regional identity of Donbas residents in the late 20th and early 21st centuries]. Naukovi zapysky, 5(67), 84–108.
https://ipiend.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/nikolaets_rol.pdf (in Ukrainian).
9. Passwaiter, S. (2023). Political ad spending projected to top $11 billion in 2024. AdAge. Available at: https://adage.com/article/opinion/2024-elections-political-ad-spending-projected-top-11-billion-2024/2504126 (accessed January 24, 2025).
10. Shapovalova, A. M. (2024) Psykholohiia politychnoi komunikatsii [Psychology of political communication. Scientific perspectives]. Seriia "Derzhavne upravlinnia", "Ekonomika", "Medytsyna", "Pedahohika", Seriia "Psykholohiia", 9(51), 1329–1338 (in Ukrainian).
11. Solonyna, Ye. (2019). Zelenskyi. Shliakh na Bankovu. [Zelensky. The Road to Bankova]. Radio Svoboda. Available at: https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/29901652.html (accessed January 24, 2025) (in Ukrainian).
12. Tamilina, L. (2024) Khto potrapliaie do sotsialnykh bulbashok? Doslidzhennia povedinky molodykh korystuvachiv sotsialnykh media v Ukraini [Who falls into social bubbles? Research on the behavior of young social media users in Ukraine]. Works Ukraine. Available at: https://voxukraine.
org/hto-potraplyaye-do-sotsialnyh-bulbashok-doslidzhennya-povedinky-molodyh-korystuvachivsotsialnyh-
media-v-ukrayini (accessed January 24, 2025) (in Ukrainian).
13. Tereshchuk, G. (2024). Vplyv Kremlia v Yevropi ta Ukraini: yak Rosiia prosuvaie svoi tezy cherez sotsialni merezhi i lobistiv [The Kremlin's Influence in Europe and Ukraine: How Russia Promotes Its Theses through Social Media and Lobbyists]. Radio Svoboda. Available at: https://www.
radiosvoboda.org/a/agenty-kreml-vijna-yevropa-dezinformatsiya-kanaly-vplyvu/32807356.html (accessed January 24, 2025) (in Ukrainian).
14. Zakharchenko, A. (2019). Rosiiskyi styl propahandy i lidery dumok na pensii: yak Zelenskyi i Poroshenko voiuvaly u sotsmerezhakh [Russian propaganda style and retired opinion leaders: how Zelensky and Poroshenko fought on social media]. Ukrainska pravda. Available at: https://www.
pravda.com.ua/columns/2019/05/3/7214176/ (accessed January 24, 2025) (in Ukrainian).
15. Zdorovenko, N. (2024) Manipuliatsii ta feiky: rosiia, yaka zhyve u vashykh sotsmerezhakh [Manipulations and fakes: Russia that lives in your social networks.]. CBN. Available at: https://cbn.com.ua/articles/manipulyatsii-ta-fejki-rosiya-yaka-zhive-u-vashih-sotsmerezhah (accessed January
24, 2025) (in Ukrainian).
16. Zilinsky, J., Theocharis, Y., Pradel, F., Tulin, M., de Vreese, C., Aalberg, T., ... Zoizner, A. (2024). Justifying an Invasion: When Is Disinformation Successful? Political Communication, 41(6), 965–986.