PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF MASS PANDEMIC CONSCIOUSNESS

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic contributes to numerous transformations of mass consciousness of varying content, depth and duration. Pandemic consciousness is considered by the author as the total amount of extreme and exaggerated assessments, views and attitudes which gain independence and become a mass trend, reflecting the current state of epidemic situation. The notion of pandemic consciousness of each of the subjects of public life (an individual, a group, a class, a nation, society as a whole) has several specific features and requires analysis from a scientific standpoint.
The purpose of the study. The purpose of the study is a theoretical analysis of the phenomenon of pandemic consciousness as a special state of mass consciousness of society. Research methods include analysis, synthesis, comparison, specification, generalization, analogy and method of data triangulation.
Results. Pandemic consciousness is a state of mass everyday consciousness that finds its expression in the indirect reflection of everyday life, its purpose being to assist society in meeting its needs related to physical and economic survival. An attempt was made to consider the procedural structure of consciousness which consists of six main elements, including: knowledge, thinking, emotions, attention, memory and will.
Theoretical analysis of the phenomenon proved that basic manifestations of pandemic consciousness are situated in the cognitive plane – the phenomenon of infodemia, conspiracy theories, magical thinking, revival of enemy archetypes and conspiracies, search for new meanings, escape from unfavorable reality, generation of new simulacra, alarmism and angst-ridden future expectations. A number of negative psychological reactions to the pandemic were detected in the emotional plane of pandemic consciousness – sensory and emotional deprivation, increased feelings of danger and helplessness, anxiety, irritability, emotional exhaustion. The use of stereotypes simplifies reality and its image during pandemics. Pandemic experiences are influenced by the dynamics of personal needs, expectations integrated by the individual. The right way to alleviate the acute states of pandemic consciousness is to change perceptions of the world, vitality, tolerance for uncertainty, and one’s own life position.The main group of verbal stimuli that activate the causal links of pandemic fears are: COVID-19, virus, epidemic, pandemic, infection, contamination, risk of infection, unmasked person, disease, hospital.
Conclusions. It is concluded that the crisis that humanity is experiencing today is primarily an existential crisis. It is concluded that one of the main ways to correct the acute states of pandemic consciousness is to change perceptions of the world.