The article is devoted to the study of forms and methods of influence of mass communication on mass consciousness. The relevance of the work is due to the transformation of the media landscape in the context of digitalization, which requires the systematization of modern mechanisms of influence. The main purpose of the article is to analyze the key methods of media interaction, their specifics and cultural conditionality.
The main method and explanatory principle of the work is the institutional activity approach, which considers communication as a social process with subject-object relations. The article is based on the scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists devoted to various aspects of the study of the influence of mass communication on mass consciousness.
In the course of the research, the forms and methods of mass communication’s influence on mass consciousness are systematized, and it is also revealed that mass communication forms cognitive patterns and polarization of consciousness through framing information messages, emotional content and algorithmic personalization. The key trends are the dominance of visual formats and the growing influence of microbloggers as subjects of media interaction.
To achieve this goal, the features of the impact of mass communication on mass consciousness are analyzed and the most relevant trends in the development of mechanisms of influence, including propaganda, framing and advertising, are identified. It is also determined that in collectivist societies (China, Japan), methods appealing to group values are effective, while in individualistic cultures (USA, EU), personal experience and critical thinking are more important.
It is concluded that mass communication uses a set of forms (informational, ideological, entertainment) and methods (framing, agenda setting, microtargeting) to influence mass consciousness, as well as that the effectiveness of methods depends on the cultural context and psychological characteristics of the audience.
Keywords: mass communication, mass consciousness, propaganda, mass media.