Abstract

This present work analyses the western democracies’ dependence on the mass media that isconcentrated in a few wealthy hands and therefore the development of media mechanisms of social persuasion and control. This analysis proposes that, with television occupying the central role, there is an imposition of a repetitive and omnipresent mass culture that foments automatic reactions and behaviour patterns, turning the message into a reality show full of emotional and dramatic meaning that depends on a single thought that is guided by economic market criteria. Faced with such a panorama the possibility arises of the development of a truly democratic and participatory society that could serve as a means of education and knowledge within the global village.

Abstract

We present the results of research that has revealed informative-persuasive strategies of current Spanish commercial and institutional display advertising. The study selected 232 periodicals for analysis, which included 7,704 advertisements. Differences were identified between the strategies used in commercial advertising and those used in government communications with citizens.

Abstract

Persuasion is a communicative process in which the agent obtains the adhesion of the receiver and influences him/her; this process is particularly relevant in political communication during electoral periods. The persuasive techniques used on Facebook by the candidates of the main political parties (PP, PSOE, Podemos and, Ciudadanos) during the campaign for the general elections of June 2016 in Spain were analyzed. The research reveals that, of all the persuasive techniques envisaged by Roiz (1994), the most employed ones, by candidates to the presidency of the Government in Spain, were topic repetition, support in the preexisting attitudes, the adequacy of the subjects to specific publics, and exploitation of the psychic contagion.

Abstract

Encouraging people to make sustainable transport choices remains a global challenge and many interventions have been attempted. This study investigated the reflection on own/others’ subjective experiences (SE) as an intervention using a smartphone application as the intervention tool. Participants were car drivers and used the app to automatically capture and reflect on their commute journeys and experiences. The experimental group were also able to reflect upon others’ experiences across car, walk and cycle modes. Others’ experiences were designed based on a previous self-report study. Results of the study showed that quantitative measures of intentions to change were not affected by the intervention but that qualitative data showed that the positive experience of the active transport modes did bring about reflection on behaviour and a potential influence on opinions and intentions which warrants further study. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

Academic discourse is characterized by an abundance of abstract nouns such as analysis, research, process, concept, approach or role. These nouns are considered cohesive devices since their full content is determined by referring to their context and they have received numerous denominations (anaphoric, signaling, carrier, shell or metadiscursive nouns). This paper explores the metadiscursive role of shell nouns in a corpus of academic abstracts written by university students for their Senior Theses, based on Schmid’s (2000) and Jiang and Hyland’s (2016, 2017) proposals. The rhetorical, persuasive potential of these abstract nouns in this type of academic discourse is also addressed. The results show that advanced EFL writers deploy a wide range of abstract nouns in patterns that resemble those of scholars (Jiang & Hyland 2017). Different moves in the text seem to influence the type of noun employed. All in all, advanced English Studies majors are aware of academic disciplinary conventions but would benefit from training in abstract writing, particularly in the distribution of the text’s moves.

Abstract

The mass media, especially television, have established as indispensable elements in society. These media are so influential in our lives that they have come to form part of them, through physical as psychological dependence. Television is peculiar, interesting and «dangerous». Persuasion is one of the most used strategies, and one could wonder about its intention. Perhaps it is time to question the privileged role society has given to television, and without doubt, reflection and a critical spirit are essential to do this.

Abstract

This paper reviews the current state of the impact of entertainment-education contributions for AIDS prevention. Traditional information campaigns are being replaced by interventions based on narrative formats which merge entertainment with an educational content. The success of such interventions depends on the ability of the narrative formats to stimulate parasocial interaction and emotional involvement. It is also stated that one of the key factors to success is to promote discussion.

Abstract

The aim of this investigation is the study of publicity from the point of view of the archetypes, following a hermeneutic model of analysis of the content; through this we have studied the presence of the Greek mythological figures in comparison with the characters that appear in the advertising messages of perfumes, which at first allows us to observe the analogy of the gods of the old Greek Mythology with real human archetypes; secondly, it allows us to dig deeper into these advertising contents to know if these stories are purely commercial or if they could be interpreted with other meanings. The results of this analysis show a high participation of the female archetype of the woman as a wife, related to the goddess Hera, and followed by the archetype of the sensuality represented by the Aphrodite goddess and that of the goddess Artemisia or goddess of liberty; in perfume commercials aimed at men, the biggest frequency in the myth of Zeus and of Narcissus is emphasized, as archetypes of power and success, continued by the presence of the myth of Odysseus, the hero’s archetype, known as a model of strategist and intelligence; in commercials aimed at both sexes the myth of Dionysus as archetype of the party and transformation is the most relevant, followed by the myth of the brothers Hera-Zeus that become husbands and fathers of the Greek Panteon of Mithological Gods.