A Cognitive Semantic Analysis of Vloggers’ Mental Health Crises experiences on YouTube

Document Type : Academic research papers

Authors

1 faculty of women, Ain Shams University

2 Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts , Suez University

3 Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Women, Ain Shams University

Abstract

The current study is a cognitive semantic investigation of a sample of mental health-related narratives that are virtually video-blogged (i.e. vlogged). The focal end is to examine how vloggers manage to construe their videos, their self, self-versions and other elements. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach to the YouTube videos by exploiting cognitive semantic theories in integration with complementary concepts, the study aims at tracking both construals of the overall vlogging personal narrative experience. It examines the preliminary conceptual blends that precedes the construction of the video/story world. It proposes a conceptual modelling for the overall configuration based on the vlogs genre addressed, namely personal experience of mental illness. Construal of specific elements in narratives were inspected encompassing the self with respect to other selves, viewers and experience. In order to achieve this purpose, the study employs Mental Spaces Theory , and Conceptual Blending Theory. In integration with the cognitive semantic theories, McNeill’s narrative model has been exploited to depict the overall architecture of the video space. Additionally, the study examines conceptual metaphors, force dynamics, viewpoint multiplicity, subjectivity, and stancetaking focusing on the introductory sections in three sample vlogs. The research comes up with the findings that vloggers narratives manifest multiple versions of the self and shifts in viewpoints that are projected across the spaces unfolded. In addition, narrators tend to shift viewpoints and locate themselves in different spatial positions with their illness and their audience, while taking into consideration the virtual platform of YouTube

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Buhūth
Volume 4, Issue 5
issue 5 Social Sciences and Humanities and languages 2024
May 2024
Pages 1-35

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