Basic information

Investigator: prof. MUDr. Jiří Horáček, Ph.D., FCMA
Main recipient: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Co-recipients: ÚI AVČR, PSÚ AVČR, FF ZČU
Research period: 1.1.2025 – 31.12 2028
Total budget: 141 013 657,02 CZK
Supported by: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MŠMT) via the OPJAK call for papers SOCIAL AND HUMANITIES: MAN AND HUMANITY IN THE GLOBAL CHALLENGES OF TODAY

Annotation

The project addresses contemporary challenges related to the negative impact of circulating representations of the digital ecosystem on individual psyche and social behaviour. The aim is to provide a multidisciplinary programme of analysis of the mechanisms of maladaptive representations. It includes three aims studying the impact of media representations on individuals and subsequently on society. These analyses provide an empirical basis for the design and evaluation of remediation strategies targeting the most problematic domains of global phenomena.</p>

The project addresses the role of circulating representations in the impact of global phenomena such as volatile economic environments and inflation, terrorism, the threat of military conflict, the risk of renewed pandemics, climate change, migration, political polarization, problematic cyberbullying, manipulative narratives, and disinformation. A common consequence of these challenges is high levels of individually felt insecurity and stress, resulting in an increase in mental illness and a decline in wellbeing in general. Maladaptive media representations (e.g. misinformation and conspiracy theories) contribute to feelings of insecurity (and derivative phenomena). The result is ideological and political polarisation, rigidity of opinion, an increase in extremism and other societal risks.

Building societal resilience to these challenges requires a deeper understanding of the epistemic process changes in the current digital ecosystem. This is characterized by an unprecedented circulation of representations, i.e. image-texts of media content that transmit and shape collective representations with societal impact.

The present project responds to the contemporary and unprecedented challenge of the negative impact of the circulation of material representations on the experience and behaviour of individuals and society. It presents a comprehensive program of analysis and derived remediation of these impacts. Addressing the problem necessarily requires an interdisciplinary approach, so the team includes experts in the humanities and social sciences (psychology, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, political science, mental health, media studies), complemented by experts in cognitive neuroscience, psychiatry, computer science, and complex systems analysis.

Project Objectives

The aim of the project Socio-cultural determinants of the impact of the circulation of representations on the human mind and the possibilities of remediation is:

• Implementation of the planned research objectives through KA2, studies of the impact of representations on individuals and the psychological vulnerabilities underlying this impact (VZ1), the societal impact of the circulation of representations including current problem areas (VZ2), and the application of the results in the development and testing of remediation programs (VZ3) to be implemented during the project. Results will be published in at least 152 journal articles, books, or book chapters and presented at 152 professional events;
   
• Creation/development of an excellent research team, specifically: by developing staff capacity and building an ecosystem of interconnected interdisciplinary teams within the SHUV field through KA2, 28 junior researchers will be involved in the team on a long-term basis. The involvement of 38 senior researchers and members of the expert team will support the development of the professional competences of the whole team.
   
• Establishment of new international collaborations through KA2 and KA3 At least 15 collaborations with foreign institutions, supported by a memorandum or similar agreement, will be established/developed during the project.

• Strengthening internationalisation, namely: 63 international trips of team members to international professional events will be realised through KA2 and KA3. At least 9 international research grant projects will be submitted. At least 76 publications with foreign co-authors will be produced by the supported entities. At least 1 foreign collaborator will be involved.

• Acquisition of instrumentation and infrastructure equipment necessary for the implementation of the research plans through KA4, HW and SW equipment necessary for the planned data collection and experiments, expanded equipment of the virtual reality laboratory and audiovisual room will be acquired during the project implementation.

• Implementation of mobilities leading to the internationalisation of the research team through KA3, 14 outgoing mobilities will be carried out during the project implementation.