Defining and Correcting: Cognitive-Shaping Mechanisms and Practical Directions of Narrative Communication in International Public Opinion
Author: Wan Liliang
Date: 2026-10-03
Link:
archive.ph/F51S6#selection-7…
Introduction
This article explores the following questions: How does the narrative-driven dissemination of international public opinion shape public perception? What are the practical implications of this cognitive-shaping mechanism? And from what angles can a Chinese-style international public opinion dissemination mechanism be constructed?
I. Origin of the Problem: International Public Opinion
Narrative-based communication increases cognitive security risks
The strategic game of contemporary great powers mainly takes place in three spaces: the physical domain, the network domain and the cognitive domain[1]. These three correspond to the real geopolitical dimension, the digital space dimension and the public spirit dimension, respectively. In the strategic game dimension of the cognitive domain, the cognitive shift of the international public is the internalized indicator for evaluating the strategic effectiveness of various countries. Since the Cold War, international public opinion has been the core channel for countries to carry out international propaganda, conduct international persuasion and enhance international goodwill. Similarly, there is no shortage of "gray and black propaganda" in international public opinion dissemination that aims to sow discord among other countries and strengthen the credibility and accessibility of information through narrative means, thereby shaping the public cognition of other countries. In view of this, it is necessary to formulate a mechanism for international public opinion dissemination based on the identification of cognitive security risks in international public opinion dissemination and prevent it from developing into an ideological risk. In order to guide the identification and prevention of cognitive security risks in international public opinion dissemination, the CPC Central Committee made an important statement: "Take the initiative and effectively influence international public opinion"[2] "Make friends widely, unite and win over the majority, and continuously expand the international public opinion circle of friends who know and are friendly to China. Pay attention to the strategy and art of public opinion struggle and improve the ability to speak out on major issues"[3]. It is evident that both international public opinion and political discourse, from a top-level design perspective, have pointed out the important position of cognitive security in the construction of China's international communication. This is an open, identity-based, and co-shaping practical project that is deeply embedded in the process of Chinese-style modernization.
Since the country began to attach importance to the construction of international communication, the academic community has conducted a relatively rich exploration of cognitive security issues and achieved some inspiring results. In terms of research topics, current research mainly focuses on the cognitive security risks of algorithm recommendation technology[4], the practice of cognitive competition among national media[5], and national cognitive security strategies[6]. In terms of theory, previous scholars mainly adopted deductive research methods, based on multiple theoretical perspectives, to explore cognitive security in international intelligence exchange, such as cognitive bias in intelligence games[7] and cognitive shaping in intelligence confrontation[8]. In terms of empirical evidence, previous scholars used case study methods to explore the cognitive shaping process in individual cases, such as Chinese science and technology cognition in international reports[9]. Reviewing the existing literature, it is easy to see that previous results cover multiple perspectives and have important implications for understanding international cognitive security issues. However, they have not focused much on the role of international narrative communication in shaping international public cognition. Research results that explain cognitive shaping and practical orientation from the perspective of narrative are also lacking. Regarding the relationship between international narrative dissemination and cognitive shaping, some scholars have pointed out: "In the post-truth era of international information dissemination, narrative discourse embellished by rhetoric has become an auxiliary element to expand the effectiveness of dissemination and influence public cognition."[10] As a manifestation of discourse appropriation in international games, international narrative dissemination has an implicit goal of shaping international public cognition, which in turn hinders other countries' cognitive security maintenance in the construction of narrative traps.
Therefore, this paper explores the following questions: How does the narrative-based dissemination of international public opinion shape public perception? What are the practical implications of this cognitive-shaping mechanism? From what angles can China attempt to build an international public opinion dissemination mechanism with Chinese characteristics? Analyzing these questions can help China better promote the enhancement of its international discourse power, safeguard public cognitive security, and thus make new marginal contributions to international public opinion and international communication research, while also creating a positive and orderly external public opinion environment for China's modernization.
II. Theoretical Perspective: The Evolution and Practice of Strategic Narrative Theory
The development of strategic narrative theory is inseparable from soft power theory, and the latter’s systematic explanation is deeply intertwined with the rise and fall of the United States’ international discourse power, and they are not contradictory. After World War II, the United States promoted the international monetary system centered on the dollar through the Bretton Woods system, established the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) as two major international financial institutions, and strongly advocated that the United Nations headquarters be located in New York, thus establishing the United States’ status as the financial and political center. Although the Bretton Woods system officially disintegrated in 1973 as major countries in the world turned to the floating exchange rate system, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank continued to operate as a legacy of the system, and the United States’ international status was maintained. Against this background, the American academic community once defined the more than 50 years from the end of World War II to the end of the 20th century as the “American Century”[11], and “Pax Americana” became the power rhetoric for the United States to show its national power to the world. In the late 20th century, with the weakening of the power backing of the United States’ military advantage, the “American decline theory” began to spread in the international community. As a rebuttal to the "American decline theory", Joseph Nye pointed out in his 1990 book, "Is America Destined to Lead the World? - The Changing Nature of American Power", that "America's global leadership depends not only on its military and economic hard power, but also on the soft power generated by its culture, values and institutions."[12] In sync with the international expansion of American power, the theory of soft power has continued to develop. For example, in 2008, he proposed that the success or failure of handling international affairs in the information age depends on "who tells the more compelling story".[13] In 2015, he pointed out that the time point for determining the "American century" should not only be based on the strength and resources of the United States, but also on the way and willingness of the United States to use these resources to influence the balance of world power. [14] In general, the theory of soft power provides a higher-level path for extending national power with its pioneering perspective. However, the open-ended nature of this theory also makes it vague and lacking in theoretical support. It does not help late-developing countries, and may also restrict their development due to its Western-centric nature. It is inevitable that it will become a set of governance techniques invented by the propagandists of the dominant group in order to maintain their leadership. [15]As a need to fill in and extend the connotation of the soft power theory, strategic communication has become a common choice for countries to shift from passive to active and explore suitable ways to shape their own cultural leadership. The theory of non-communication in human communication points out that sometimes the more the two sides communicate, the greater the differences become, and what people need is to increase the supply of effective information. [16] Faced with the international public opinion communication environment of the rise of populism, the rise of extremism, and the disorder of national trust, various "black swan" events and "gray rhino" events have distanced international exchanges and eroded international public attention. Strategic communication is a kind of precise communication implemented in order to cooperate with national strategy. [17] In 2007, Kirk Hallahan and other scholars defined strategic communication as "an activity in which an organization purposefully uses communication to accomplish its mission" in the inaugural issue of the International Journal of Strategic Communication. [18] In 2019, German public relations scholar Ansgar Zerfass revised Hallahan's definition, believing that "strategic communication is a dialogue in which an entity purposefully uses communication to achieve strategic significance". [19] Therefore, focusing on strategic communication at the national level, international communication entities actively influence international relations, demonstrate national soft power, and safeguard the effectiveness of national strategy implementation by carrying out communication activities on a global scale. Countries no longer regard international communication as a passive display of charm or a one-way expression of goodwill, but understand it as an active competition and struggle centered around agenda setting, narrative framework, and value recognition[20]. They deconstruct "perception management" and grasp cognitive security by shaping international public perception through strategic communication. In particular, narrative means provide a framework of thinking that combines originally discrete elements in a certain causal relationship. The weavability of narratives helps strategic communication break through the power circle and enhances the persuasiveness of strategic communication discourse. When the narrative framework is applied to the field of strategic communication, a theoretical insight is generated—strategic narrative (see Figure 1).
To make the narrative strategic, political actors need to select discourse materials that connect the past, present and future in order to construct a common meaning in international public opinion, thereby shaping the thinking and action logic of domestic and international actors. At present, as a discourse weapon of great power competition, strategic narrative has become a form of "storytelling" that integrates resources, shapes cognition and strives for interests. [21] Through strategic narrative, a country can project historical memory, identity, controversial consensus and strategic interests outward through a coherent narrative template, [22] thereby serving its own international political goals. From this point of view, strategic narrative in the international public opinion field is a political communication activity in which national governments and their affiliated groups participate together, take the political interests of their own country or party as the narrative goal, use platform media and social media as narrative channels, and use text media and video media as narrative forms, and finally express the story content. [23]