Self-Presentation Strategies In Russian Computer-Mediated Environment

Abstract

The article is devoted to the actual problem of online communicative genres’ development. The purpose of the study is to explore the variability of strategic self-presentation in Russian digital discourse environment by applying Goffman’s theory of self-presentation. The study content-analyzes 20 most popular Russian food blogs and 20 political blogs. The study draws on Bhatia’s analytical model of genre analysis that focuses on textual, socio-critical and socio-cognitive perspectives of discourse. The results of the study have shown that blog genre has a complex structure and is aimed at a complex influence on a recipient combining verbal and visual form. The results of the study indicated that food blogs serve a platform for crafting positive online identity. More precisely, Russian food bloggers pay closer attention to the need to be part of the group, making wide use of positive politeness strategies (self-presentation, competence, solidarity with a target reader), aiming at friendliness with their followers. Whereas Russian political bloggers are more likely to use self-promotion strategy by showcasing directly their personal views and indirectly criticizing political views of their opponents. The research also highlighted that Russian political bloggers demonstrate competence through sound arguments, providing advice, making wide use of terminology and adverbs of frequency and time. Russian bloggers construct their online identities aiming at attracting readers’ attention through direct address, including elements of the dialogue and questions into the monologue and appealing to different sensory modalities.