Introduction
Creating a certain image in the public eye is an essential aspect of various areas of life, including political, social, and other motives. This work aims to describe the group activities, in particular, the method of studying and corresponding interpretation of image formation principles and their functions. The interaction of people with one another inevitably leads to the creation of a certain perception regarding various forms of behavior. Following these patterns allows a person to create a certain image, and its role in the eyes of the public is significant.
Veil of Ignorance
As a theoretical concept that may be used to evaluate the phenomenon under consideration, the Veil of Ignorance first proposed by Rawls is relevant. Leben (2017) explores this approach and notes that its key point is to form an unbiased view on certain factors. In other words, a person making a decision and a certain judgment may not know anything about the object of assessment, its origin, social status, and other characteristics. The basis of this method is justice since the opinion that is not influenced by any third-party factors or evaluative perceptions is the most reasonable and unbiased. As a result, as applied to society as a whole, Leben (2017) notes that to draw up a fair picture, Rawls suggested making an appropriate judgment on a person’s society and the alleged position of ignorance about the existing principles of human interaction. As a result, the choice in favor of an ideal system of relationships among people is made, which emphasizes the importance of unbiased judgments.
Such an assessment method makes it possible to draw attention to existing social issues and perception features manifested due to the formation of a particular image. Specific value judgments that are typically subjective are widespread and entrenched. With every era, new standards and stereotypes appear, but in general, society is ready to accept these standards. At the same time, a specific image is manifested in various spheres of life, including politics. Those ruling elites that hold appropriate judgments concerning the chosen course of governing can influence the rooting of certain concepts of behavior significantly. As a result, people’s perception becomes a flexible quantity that may be changed through the formation of a special image.
Slavery as an Example of Political Influence
Images based on differences and unique traits are a traditional form of bias. As a real historical example, slavery in the USA may be involved. Degrading the human dignity of black people based on their skin color was a reason for discrimination. As a result, such a social system supported by the government led to class and ethnic divisions. At the same time, despite the abolition of slavery, after many years, racist stereotypes still appear, which indicates the significant role of the image. In general, the practice based on stereotypes and the deliberate creation of negative images was part of an American foreign policy. As a result, many people experience the echoes of slavery and racial discrimination, which is an additional incentive to learn the basics of image and how to manage it to expand the boundaries of perception.
Power of a Mental Image
In the context of image formation as a certain style that affects perception, the strength of a mental image occupies a significant place. Various attitudes, psychological influences, and other incentives make it possible to create a specific style of behavior, which, in turn, influences value judgments made by other people. For instance, positive thinking and relevant motivational guidelines allow creating the image of a successful person, while negative perceptions of the world and pessimism, conversely, form a distrust of a particular individual. Perhaps that is why, in an environment of a prosperous social class, the promotion of self-confidence and positivity is an essential aspect of building an image. At the same time, excessive introspection may cause the development of the impostor syndrome that, like Wang, Sheveleva, and Permyakova (2019) argue, consists of a person’s insecurity in his or her abilities or strengths. This condition is fraught with fears of being exposed to the inability to realize one’s professional, creative, or potential. However, today, this psychological state is eradicated, giving way to the concept of increasing personal significance.
The role of certain drivers in forming positive self-perception is significant in the era of social networks. In the digital space, people feel more at ease, and the promotion of personal images engenders a higher interest in personal status. The ability to influence public opinion through such trends as beauty, behaviors, and other individual properties prove the relevance of specific drivers and confirms that evaluative perception is affected. People with high social status have a more positive self-perception than those who have lower incomes and are less privileged. Accordingly, competition is manifested, and the protection of a personal image may become a tool not only in the social sphere but also in politics, which can play a more significant role in people’s interaction. Therefore, understanding the essence of the image of modern society is impossible without assessing special incentives.
Project Description and Evaluation Criteria
As a research goal set in the ongoing project, the assessment of a personal image was carried out, in particular, the principles of self-perception. As a target group, people with different cultural backgrounds were engaged to make the study as unbiased and accurate as possible. The nature of public perception based on specific images was studied to conclude current trends. The research method implied conversations with people to whom photographs were shown. Their value judgments became the basis for compiling a comprehensive picture of public opinion concerning personal images.
Before interpreting the data obtained, the assessment of possible problems was performed, in particular, the relevance of the questions asked to respondents and the occurrence of the potential factors of influence. This practice is valuable because it contributes to avoiding an unconscious impact on survey members and, at the same time, makes it possible to better understand the characteristics of public opinion. As a result, the following four questions were asked to the respondents, along with the attached photos:
- Who, in your opinion, is most worthy to look after your child?
- Which of the people depicted in the photographs identifies himself pr herself with the LGBTQ community?
- Which photo shows the person who voted for Brexit?
- Which of them is an immigrant?
The opinion to ask such diametrically different questions was taken collectively by all the project members to put respondents in a difficult situation and offer them an opportunity to make purely personal choices. It was proposed to cross out unselected photographs to exclude the potential misinterpretation of the data obtained. Also, the entire research process was filmed to capture the response of the respondents and save it as an example of feedback.
The key goal that was planned achieved through this study was assessing the degree of image politicization. People’s judgments were utilized to analyze opinions based on the choices made. The variability of the proposed questions allowed achieving good results since all the responses were different and unpredictable. One of the remarkable factors was the attitude of the survey participants towards this study. Many of them felt awkward because they realized that a personal assessment solely in appearance could be biased. Some respondents refused to take part in the survey, while others demanded more information about the objects in the photographs to make fairer verdicts.
The survey results prove that, in general, society is inclined to adhere to those valuation trends that are common today. The personal participation of the researchers themselves confirms that the test results are not biased and may be interpreted solely on personal opinions. The culture of the media, social networks, and other modern data-sharing resources help create certain images that are difficult to ignore. The aforementioned Rawls’ principle is relevant in this context since the eradication of the main prejudices and stereotypes caused by public beliefs could provide more objective results. Political correctness as one of the essential conditions of a democratic society is a flexible phenomenon, and the outcomes of the test confirm this assumption. As a potentially valuable topic for research, the role of tolerance and its implications on a specific image could be studied to have a more rational background for evaluation.
Results Interpretation
The assessment of the data obtained during the survey suggests that respondents’ personal views do not coincide with the real images of the people shown in the photographs. Stereotypes imposed on public opinion take root and become barriers to building an objective perception. The results of the study prove that the strength of the image is significant, and prejudices under the influence of social and other trends are stronger than personal evaluation criteria. Filming the survey process was an essential part of the data interpretation phase and allowed for better researching the respondents’ reactions. Those people who watched the record expressed surprise and were grateful for an opportunity to be convinced of the fallacy of many beliefs based on subconscious patterns laid down by social trends. This visual assessment became an incentive to think about how crucial it was to take into account objective premises and nuances when making value judgments about other people.
As an alternative opinion regarding the video, some people expressed the view that the approach to the study could be slightly different. In particular, it was proposed to not only film the research process but also comment on specific aspects. As a possible assessment method, for further research on this topic, two films can be made where the course of the survey will be displayed directly, as well as comments regarding its goals and results. Engaging more specialists of different profiles to evaluate such a study may help compose an even more comprehensive picture. This approach is the key to the validity of the work and, at the same time, stimulates more productive activities. Therefore, the assessment of the results of the activities done through analysis from different angles is essential from a practical point of view.
Personal Reflection and Recommendations
When evaluating the work done, one can note that there are potential opportunities for improvement. The interaction between the members of the group is an essential aspect, and the preliminary training of all participants, along with the leader, is the key to productive activities. As a recommendation, it is worth noting that defining a specific concept and compiling a research plan at the very initial stage help avoid confusion and coordinate all the actions. Also, places with a large crowd of people may be chosen for further research to obtain an even more accurate picture of public opinion. In general, the topic of image significance in the modern world is open to new studies. To conduct more interesting and valuable research, various aspects of the manifestations of personal judgments may be reviewed and evaluated.
Conclusion
The power of the image is a significant phenomenon, and social stereotypes and trends influence the formation of certain value judgments. Some beliefs may be politicized, which creates additional difficulties in the context of people’s interaction and the construction of a democratic society. The conducted study proves that the perception of certain images in photographs is subjective and biased, and public opinion is the driver that affects a specific choice. The results of the research can be improved if more specialists of different profiles are engaged, and more people are involved as respondents.
Reference List
Leben, D 2017, âA Rawlsian algorithm for autonomous vehiclesâ, Ethics and Information Technology, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 107-115.
Wang, KT, Sheveleva, MS & Permyakova, TM 2019, âImposter syndrome among Russian students: the link between perfectionism and psychological distressâ, Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 143, pp. 1-6.