Cognitive Framing and Conceptualization in Media Discourse: Mechanisms of Meaning Construction

Abstract

In the context of rapidly evolving media environments, the cognitive dimension of media discourse has emerged as a critical area of interdisciplinary inquiry. This paper undertakes a systematic examination of the cognitive mechanisms underlying media discourse, with particular attention to how framing strategies, conceptual metaphors, and processes of meaning construction interact to shape audience cognition. Drawing on cognitive linguistic theory and discourse-analytical frameworks, the study analyzes a corpus of contemporary media texts, including political news articles, televised broadcasts, and social media narratives. A mixed-method approach is employed, combining qualitative metaphor analysis with quantitative frame mapping to examine how media discourse organizes, filters, and directs public interpretations of complex socio-political phenomena. The findings reveal that cognitive mechanisms such as metaphorical framing and conceptual blending not only structure media narratives but also function as powerful tools of ideological influence and identity construction. By integrating cognitive linguistics with discourse analysis, this research contributes to the theoretical development of media cognition and offers a comprehensive account of how linguistic and conceptual patterns operate across diverse discursive modalities. Ultimately, the study underscores the importance of critical media literacy in enabling audiences to recognize and deconstruct the cognitive strategies embedded in contemporary media communication.