Technologies of Influence on Mass Consciousness in Conditions of Informational Hybrid War: Sociocultural Aspect

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to consider the technologies of influence on the mass consciousness in the conditions of informational hybrid war and to reveal the role of the socio-cultural factor in these processes. The research methodology is based on the application of a set of methods, such as: theoretical generalisation, analysis and synthesis to clarify the essence of technologies influencing mass consciousness. The research also uses structural-functional and systemic methods to study the concept of "soft power" (J. Nye) as a technology of indirect influence on political and social processes, which is based on the use of culture as a tool for achieving goals in the plane of general narratives and social values. The application of the synthesis and cultural method allow to comprehensively consider the given problem and achieve relevant results. The scientific novelty consists in the systematisation and generalisation of the main trends regarding the technologies of influence on mass consciousness in the conditions of the informational hybrid war with an emphasis on the cultural component, in particular mass culture. Conclusions. Modern communication and network technologies have proven to be the most effective and mobile tools of hybrid warfare between warring parties, regardless of the effectiveness of military intervention and modern weapons used by various states. Information warfare, as a multi-component phenomenon, continues to be actively used as a toolkit of propaganda and manipulative actions aimed at influencing the entire population of the country in a broad sense, as well as active public and political elites with the aim of destabilising the general situation. Moreover, in the process of manipulative and suggestive influences, cultural structures and means are used, capable of broadcasting the corresponding values and narratives. An important tool and technology for influencing public consciousness in the conditions of the information hybrid war is mass culture, which, due to flexible cultural matrices, is able to reach large audiences and act as "soft power".

Key words: mass consciousness, manipulative influence, "soft power", mass culture, socio-cultural environment.