Scholarly record

ON PROBLEMS OF USING LANGUAGE IN MEDIA MANIPULATION

Martin Solik

Abstract

Man is a communicative being that needs to exchange information in order to survive. We have to rely upon mutual communication and we just cannot exist without it. Everything we do, anything we look at, the ways we move – all these things are related to communication. Ludwig Wittgenstein subsequently explains these means of communication through terms. However, he actually speaks about the things that are not expressed by them. Robert Cialdini defines these processes by so called “switches”. Sometimes one word is enough to change not only the meaning of a sentence but its power and impact as well. Our thinking takes place within a language system which influences the perception of the outer world. In our article we analyze the abilities of mass media to focus our attention on particular situations by framing themes. We deal with the ability of language to create associations with our memories or experienced visual and audio perceptions through stirred emotions. We live in an era that is overflowed with information of all kinds. Influencing and manipulative elements are encoded within this ‘information labyrinth’. Thanks to their nature, they are able to change our perception of the reality and comprehension of the world. An insignificant difference in formulation, a combination of two phenomena, facts or people in one sentence, an indication with a label or stereotype might change the message of any information since the process of perception is not always based only on rational thoughts. Emotions, functioning as pre-cognitive states, often carry our information as well.

Publication Impact Profile

No metrics available.

PLUMX see details

DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2014/B12/S2.074

Publication details

Back to publication list