Theoretical approaches to manipulative communications: psychological and behavioral bases of the spread of fake news

Section: Discussion

Fake news has become a significant form of manipulative content, rapidly spreading with the rise of digital communications. By bypassing rational perception filters, fake news exerts a destructive influence on individual and societal behavior. While much attention is given to the negative consequences of fake news, the technologies behind its creation remain underexplored. This article addresses this gap by hypothesizing that the technologies used to create advertisements and fake news share similar foundations. The hypothesis is supported through a theoretical analysis of the historical development of scientific knowledge that has shaped the evolution of techniques in advertising and manipulative content production. These developments include contributions from cognitive science, narrative theory, semiotics, neuroscience, digital technologies, and behavioral economics. Key theoretical approaches and practical methods applicable to the creation of fake news are identified in each field. Offering a framework for categorizing methods of fake news production based on audience engagement and the prioritization of persuasive strategies.

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To cite this article: Tkhorikov B. A., Osadchaya O. S. (2025) Psikhologicheskie i povedencheskie osnovy manipulyativnykh kommunikatsiy v feykovykh novostyakh [Theoretical approaches to manipulative communications: psychological and behavioral bases of the spread of fake news]. Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seriya 10. Zhurnalistika 1: 103–127. DOI: 10.55959/msu.vestnik.journ.3.2025.103127