Modal asymmetry and synergy in the perception of creolized social advertising texts: an experimental study

Maria V. Brisker
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Maria V. Brisker: Orenburg State University named after V.A. Bondarenko

Russian Social and Humanitarian Studies, 2026, vol. 18, issue 2, 315-332

Abstract: Background. In the context of the dominance of creolized formats in social advertising, the mechanisms of their primary perception remain insufficiently studied from a psycholinguistic perspective. Traditional approaches mainly focus on retrospective interpretation or memorability, whereas the processes of immediate cognitive activation have only been examined fragmentarily. The parameter of concreteness/abstractness of associative reactions may serve as a reliable indicator of modal integration and communicative effectiveness. Purpose. To identify the specific features of perceiving creolized social advertising texts through the prism of concreteness/abstractness of associative reactions under varying modal conditions of stimulus presentation. Materials and methods. The principal research method was an associative experiment widely used in psycholinguistics. The material consisted of three social advertising posters presented in three modifications: an isolated visual component, an isolated verbal component, and a complete creolized text. A free associative experiment was employed: after stimulus presentation, respondents recorded the first association that came to mind. The data were subjected to qualitative (semantic categorization) and quantitative (frequency analysis and assessment of the level of concreteness) analysis. Results. A modal asymmetry of primary perception was identified: the visual stimulus predominantly generates concrete perceptual associations, whereas the verbal stimulus evokes abstract conceptual and evaluative reactions. A synergistic effect of creolization was revealed: under the combined condition, a balanced correlation between concreteness and abstraction is achieved, indicating that the creolized text functions as an integrated semiotic system. The visual component concretizes and emotionally reinforces the verbal message, while the verbal component directs the interpretation of the image toward socially significant issues. The creolized format contributes to reducing semantic ambiguity, eliminating peripheral interpretations, and ensuring a more targeted actualization of the intended social message. The obtained data confirm the principles of dual coding theory and may be applied in the design of effective polycode messages in social advertising.

Keywords: creolized text; social advertising; associative experiment; concreteness; abstraction; modal integration; dual coding theory; psycholinguistics of perception (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cxm:russhs:18:2:2026:315-332

DOI: 10.12731/3033-5981-2026-18-2-587

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