Cognitive-communicative strategies in the electoral process of Ukraine

The study is devoted to the analysis of cognitive-communicative strategies that will be employed in the electoral process of Ukraine under conditions of mediatization, digitalization, and increasing cognitive load on voters. The relevance of the research will be determined by the ongoing transformation of political communication, changes in the institutional design of the electoral system following the adoption of the Electoral Code of Ukraine, and the growing role of cognitive mechanisms influencing electoral behavior and political trust.The purpose of the study will be to identify and systematize cognitive-communicative strategies used in the electoral process of Ukraine, to analyze the mechanisms of their influence on mass political consciousness and voter behavior, and to outline the opportunities and risks associated with their application in a democratic political environment. The object of the study will be the electoral process of Ukraine as a multilevel system of political interaction, while the subject of the study will comprise cognitive-communicative strategies of transmission and formation of political meanings in electoral discourse.The methodological framework of the study will be based on systemic, institutional, and structural-functional approaches, enabling the electoral process to be considered as a complex system of political communication. The research design will envisage the use of content analysis and discourse analysis to empirically identify cognitive-communicative strategies, frames, and narrative structures in electoral discourse. Interpretation of the results will rely on the theoretical foundations of cognitive linguistics and political psychology, allowing for analysis of meaning-making mechanisms in political messages and their potential impact on electoral orientations.The empirical base of the study will include pre-election programs, public speeches of political actors, and media messages disseminated during parliamentary election campaigns in Ukraine. It is expected that the results of the study will contribute to the development of a coherent theoretical and methodological framework for analyzing cognitive-communicative strategies, systematizing their types and functions, and clarifying their relationship with electoral behavior. The practical significance of the study will lie in the possibility of applying its findings in political communication, public administration, media, education, and civil society, particularly to enhance transparency and ethical standards of electoral communication under contemporary information challenges.