Color in visual representations of COVID-19 pandemic: content analysis of publications in the Russian-language digital mass media

Abstract

The goal of this article consists in presenting the results on analysis of visual representations of COVID-19 pandemic in the Russian-language digital mass media from the perspective of the functions of color, its correlation with the theme, frequency of dominant shade of images and its dynamics. Publications in the digital mass media for the period from February to May 2020 related to topic of Coronavirus became the material for this research. The time framework captured the period of 100 days, since January 31, when the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Russia. The author applied multi-stage cluster strategy; the material was sorted into clusters using the search function by the dominant color of Google. The search was conducted by 12 key colors: 9 chromatic (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, dark blue, purple, pink, and brown), and 3 achromatic (white, grey, and black). For each main color, the research database included first 100 articles. The study was carried out using the method of content analysis. Statistical analysis demonstrated that color of the image correlates with the theme of information text, given overall assessment of the situation and its development prospects. The dominant form of visual representation of COVID-19 pandemic in the Russian-language mass media is depiction of the source of coronavirus infection, which presented in the online publications in all main colors, except two achromatic – white and grey. The dynamics of color representation of coronavirus is associated with the important events for development of the situation. Coincidence and changeability of the color image of coronavirus reflects high level of social anxiety, which is supported and aggravated by publication on the uncertain nature of the virus and course of the disease caused by it. The author sees solution of the problem in reserving the grey color common to the visual image of coronavirus. In this case, the color would correspond with the scientific reality (since there is no color without the light), and the image of coronavirus, purified from the aggressive color, would become less threatening and virulent.