POLITICAL SCIENCE AND SOCIETY: MECHANISMS OF POLITICAL INSTITUTIONAL AND DISCOURSIVE INFLUENCE ON THE MASSES
Abstract
The article explores the multi-level channels, structural factors, and depth of political processes' influence on the mass consciousness, value orientations, and behavioral patterns of the population. At the intersection of political science, sociology, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience, the paper examines how transformations in public policy, party rhetoric, media manipulation, and the algorithmization of the digital environment shape the group identity of citizens, determine their level of institutional trust, and transform electoral activity. Special attention is paid to the macrosociological phenomenon of affective polarization and the mechanisms through which modern elites construct the image of an enemy, subordinating public interests to the tactical goals of maintaining power. The study presents and analyzes empirical data, recent international statistical trends, and models of voter behavior.
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