PANDEMIA COVID-19: IMPACTUL MASS-MEDIA ASUPRA MENTALULUI COLECTIV
THE COVID‑19 PANDEMIC: THE IMPACT OF MASS MEDIA ON THE COLLECTIVE MINDSET

Author(s): Mihaela Ozarchevici, Andrei Ando
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Social psychology and group interaction, Health and medicine and law
Published by: Editura Universităţii Vasile Goldiş
Keywords: Covid‑19; mass media; health; mental; crisis;
Summary/Abstract: The study explores the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on the collective psyche, with a focus on the influence of digital mass media in Romania and social networks. The research revealed that during the nearly three years of restrictions, the media abandoned an objective register and, driven by unchecked clickbait, amplified the “mean world syndrome,” fueling fears related to health and the loss of loved ones through dramatic images and alarming news. These factors generated a collective psychosis and deepened distrust in medical institutions. Moreover, the spread of false news and subjective angles of reporting transformed information into a psychological weapon, intensifying stress and panic. The paper analyzes how these phenomena shaped public perceptions and mental health during this period of crisis.

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