Psycholinguistic aspect of enemy image construction in the Russophobic discourse of English-language media

The purpose of this study is to identify the psycholinguistic mechanisms of enemy image creation in Russophobic discourse in English-language media. This article is an interdisciplinary study integrating tools from linguistics and social psychology. Analyzing English-language media, the author explores the genesis and functioning of Russophobic discourse through the prism of key concepts: “enemy image”, “manipulative techniques”, and “psychological attitudes”. The theoretical basis of the study is Social Identity Theory, which analyzes the interaction of language and cognitive attitudes in the formation of a hostile image. The scientific novelty of this work lies in the conclusion about the enemy-forming nature of Russophobic discourse, which represents a fundamentally new approach to defining its essence. This allows the analysis to shift from the plane of describing particular manifestations of Russophobia to the plane of studying it as a holistic technological process for creating the ideological construct of the “enemy”. The results of the scientific study demonstrate that the psychological attitudes and manipulative practices of Russophobic discourse create an enemy image. Due to its enemy-forming nature, Russophobic discourse emerges as a powerful tool for shaping public opinion. Its impact contributes to the entrenchment of negative stereotypes about Russia and its citizens in society, which, in turn, creates the preconditions for justifying ideologically biased perceptions and politically motivated decision-making on a global scale.