Управление на масовите възприятия = Mass Perceptions Management
Subtitle: Co-authors monograph
By: Edited by Milena Tsvetkova
Publisher: Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication
Published: 2020
Place of publication: Sofia
Language: bul
Format: ebook
Number of pages: 388
ISBN-13: 9789548194983
Copyright date: 2020
Description: 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.
Table of contents: title: Preface; title: Chapter 1. The Homo Sapiens Matrix / Chavdar Hristov; title: 1.1. Introduction; title: 1.2. Genetic Matrix; title: 1.3. Cognitive Matrix; title: 1.4. Social Matrix; title: Chapter 2. The Role of Storytelling in Mass Perceptions Management / Kalin Kalinov, Bogomil Kalinov; title: 2.1. Introduction; title: 2.2. What is storytelling?; title: 2.3. History and Essence of Storytelling; title: 2.4. The Characters as the Driving Force; title: 2.5. Applications of Storytelling for Persuasion; title: Chapter 3. The Influence of the Film Narrative / Elena Tzvetkova; title: 3.1. Introduction; title: 3.2. Cognitive Psychology and the Visual Narrative; title: 3.3. Narrative Persuasion; title: 3.4. Dual Process Models of Persuasion (HSM and ELM); title: 3.5. Transportation-Imagery Model of Narrative Persuasion; title: 3.6. Development of the Transportation-Imagery Model; title: 3.7. Other Techniques of Narrative Persuasion; title: Chapter 4. Models of Influence on the Consumerist Behavior / Lyuben Geshev; title: 4.1. Introduction; title: 4.2. The New Gatherers; title: 4.3. The Transformation of Consumers’ Society; title: 4.4. Network Perception of Consumers’ Society; title: 4.5. Values and Quasi-Values; title: 4.6. Model of the Circulating Values Influence; title: 4.7. Effects of Network Consumerism; title: Chapter 5. Anthropological Revolution: Model of Orchestrated Transformation in Mass Thinking and Behavior / Chavdar Hristov; title: 5.1. Introduction; title: 5.2. Description and mechanism of the Model for Altering Mass Thinking and Behavior; title: 5.3. Application of the Model in Bulgaria; title: 5.4. Reflexions of the Model on Mass Thinking; title: Chapter 6. Bulgarian Literary-Historical Myths in the Representative Memory of the Nation / Ventsislava Mindova; title: 6.1. Introduction; title: 6.2. The Myth as a Sacred Tale, Mythical Word as a Communication Code; title: 6.3. Rethinking the Myth in the Field of Communication Discourse; title: 6.4. The Myth as an Ideological System; title: 6.5. Stereotypes and Prejudices – Mental Constructs of Social Behavior; title: 6.6. The Representation of Myths in Bulgarian Sociocultural Life; title: 6.6.1. The Myth of the Slavery; title: 6.6.2. The Myth of the Ottoman Heritage; title: 6.6.3. The Myth of the Class Struggle; title: 6.6.4. The Macedonian Myth; title: Chapter 7. Symbolic Architectural Cross of Sofia: Significatsion of National Identity / Chavdar Hristov; title: 7.1. Introduction; title: 7.2. Describing the Symbolic Architecture Cross of Sofia; title: 7.3. Research Period; title: 7.4. Urban Planning, Historical and Architectural Conext in Choosing a Place; title: 7.5. Building the Architecture Complex (1882–1912); title: 7.6. The Symbolic Architecture Cross of Sofia as a Place to Remember; title: 7.7. The Symbolic Architecture Cross of Sofia as a Commuication Propaganda Tool; title: 7.8. The Symbolic Architecture Cross of Sofia as an Instrument to Manage Mass Perceptions: Theoretical Framework; title: 7.9. The Symbolics of the Architecture Cross of Sofia; title: Chapter 8. Models of Influence through Music / Petia Paralovska; title: 8.1. Introduction; title: 8.2. Music as a Tool for Influence; title: 8.3. Religious Indoctrination through Music; title: 8.4. Creating and Sustaining Group Identity, Co-ordination and Co-operation through Music; title: 8.5. Homogenization of Social Behavior through Music; title: 8.6. Modelling Consumer Desires through Music; title: 8.7. Opera Music as a Model for Ideological Influence, Propaganda and Persuasion via Stereotypes; title: Chapter 9. Model for Managing Mass Perceptions, Ideological Values and Beliefs through Visual Communication on Social Networking Sites / Boyana Koleva; title: 9.1. Introduction; title: 9.2. Change of Attitudes Provoked by the Visual; title: 9.3. Behavior Change Provoked by the Visual; title: 9.4. The Concept of Implicit Visual Presentation; title: 9.5. Social Networks and Social Movements; title: 9.6. Social Networks and Radicalization; title: 9.7. Building and Ideological Narrative via Visual Communication in Social Networks; title: Chapter 10. Opportunities for Political Cartoons for Managing Mass Perceptions: A Study of the Newspapers “168 Chasa”, “Prass-Press”, “Starshel”, and the TV Show “Shouto na Slavi” / Boyan Georgiev; title: 10.1. Introduction; title: 10.2. Stereotypes in Communication; title: 10.3. The Stereotype – Definitions, Understandings, Types. Stereotyping as a Categorization Process; title: 10.4. The Processes of Stereotyping in Terms of Repeatability and Distribution; title: 10.5. The Political Cartoons as Carriers of Stereotypes; title: 10.6. The Political Cartoon as an Opportunity to Manage Mass Perceptions; title: 10.7. Aim and Objectives of the Communication Research; title: 10.8. Research Methodology; title: 10.9. Research and Analysis of the Research Results in Newspapers „168 часа“, „Прас-Прес“, „Стършел“ and the TV Show „Шоуто на Слави“; title: 10.9.1. Stereotypes and Stereotyping in the Political Cartoon in „168 часа“; title: 10.9.2. Stereotypes and Stereotyping in the Political Cartoon in „Прас-Прес“; title: 10.9.3. Stereotypes and Stereotyping in the Political Cartoon in „Стършел“; title: 10.9.4. Stereotypes and Stereotyping in the Political Cartoon in the TV Show „Шоуто на Слави“; title: 10.10. Reflexions on the Importance of Cartoon Artists; title: 10.11. Conclusions Regarding the Projected Reactions by the Audience; title: 10.12. Conclusions Regarding Stereotyping in Political Cartoons; title: Chapter 11. Models of Influence through Public Rituals: Sport and Propaganda / Miliana Veleva; title: 11.1. Introduction; title: 11.2. Sport in the System of Sociopolitical Influence; title: 11.3. The Historical Connection Between Sports and Political Propaganda; title: 11.4. The Mass Influence of Sport in Dictatorial and Totalitarian Regimes; title: 11.5. The Mass Influence of Sport within the Context of Democracy and Globalization; title: Chapter 12. Bipolar Domination of Emotional and Behavioral Attitudes: A Study of “Geopolitics” Magazine / Boyan Georgiev; title: 12.1. Introduction; title: 12.2. Research Methodology; title: 12.3. Attitudes: Definition, Functions, Types; title: 12.4. Attitudes Change; title: 12.5. Influencing Attitudes via Visual Persuasive Communication; title: 12.6. Researching the Magazine „Геополитика”; title: 12.6.1. The Bipolarity of Attitudes Regarding the Title and Visualization; title: 12.6.2. Bipolarity of the Attitudes Regarding the Political Cartoon; title: 12.6.3. The Behavior of the Audience as a Dependence Function of the Whole Communication of Magazine „Геополитика”; title: 12.7. Discussion; title: Conclusions; title: Bibliography; title: Summary