Управление на масовите възприятия = Mass Perceptions Management

The co-authors monograph “Mass Perceptions Management” summarizes the research results of doctoral studies in the PhD programme at the University of Sofia in “Persuasive Communication”, led by Professor PhD Chavdar Hristov. The book consists of twelve chapters with endnotes added to each chapter, a bibliography and an index. The content of each chapter is the sole responsibility of the authors involved and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Sofia University. The publication was supported by the Sofia University Science Fund under the Grant of the scientific project (Contract No80-10-85/15.04.2019) in collaboration with the scientific project entitled “Scientific monograph in the conditions of digital transformation and open access to scientific information” (Contract No80-10-85/15.04.2019). The e-book was published on  the 1st of October, 2020 (ISBN 978-954-8194-98-3) with a total number of 388 pages.

The main hypothesis in the present monograph is built upon the idea of the human matrix thinking and behavior, which enables the managed persuasive impact on large groups of people. The research is conceptualized on the basis of genetic, cognitive and social dominants, which configure common characteristics of Homo Sapiens in the process of the biological and the social evolution.
It is worth noting that the social evolution continues in line with the ideological and technological changes within the global context. The aim of these changes is the unification of the thinking and the actions of the majority of people – a form of constant battle for the “hearts and minds”. The challenge is to replace a set of ideological imperatives with a new one, describing the dynamics of the ongoing process as an “anthropological revolution”. Such alterations can be observed in the countries in Eastern Europe, particularly in Bulgaria, where the last few decades are dedicated to the affirmation of liberal and democratic values. The results can be observed among young people even if they are still partially hybridized by the conflict between old and new. We can project, based on previous social experience, that the ideological changes will be more dominant with each new generation, resulting in a common European values identification. It should be noted that the anthropological revolution is rather an accelerated evolution, which requires the change of several generations in order to reach the sought after mental and behavior unification. Which in turn is a prerequisite for management of the masses for the benefit of the elites.
In contrast to the managed ideological values change, which is primarily aimed at the new generations, the technological revolution in the field of communications covers almost all age groups. The extension, named smartphone, in the hands of each citizen transforms the thinking and behavior of the majority to a significant extent, transferring them from real to virtual communication. Nowadays it is easy to communicate with someone from different places but we often forget the person next to us. The traditional Home Sapiens uses internet more often, consuming a wide array of information for orientation or entertainment. This becomes an inseparable part of the person, changing his thinking and behavior. We can again discuss the anthropological revolution in this context even if it is yet to be seen whether and to what extent the artificial intelligence and the virtual man (Project NEON) will replace the thinking man. We should not forget that a significant part of humanity is excluded from this process of transformation due to various reasons. But the places where the obsession of Home Sapiens by the internet and the communication extensions is a reality, the opportunity to administer mass influence is significant. The management weight is more frequently placed upon the audiovisual impact, where the tested models of communication influence gain magical powers not only to change but to sustain an already established social order and values.
The conventional thinking and behavior, where the euristics and the emotions are dominating, is common for the masses. It guarantees a tidy and calm life but at the same time opens widely the gates for persuasion and receptive influence, which employes the common for these people multitude of mental matrixes and behavior models.
The monograph “Mass Perceptions Management” tries to unveil this process without claiming comprehensiveness. It tries to uncover the mechanisms of mass communication influence by structuring effective persuasion models from the fields of storytelling, film and ideological narratives, consumerism, symbolic interaction, music, national identification, satire, managed indoctrination and societal rituals. Each of the twelve chapters of the book is based on the personal research interest of the authors to different aspects of the topic, which can be further extended and diversified to present new evidence to support the core thesis of the monograph regarding the susceptibility of the Homo Sapiens matrix to managed persuasive influence within an unpredictable and highly technological cyber world.

Note: Downloadable document is in Bulgarian.