Weapons of mass division Psychological responses to Russian state-sponsored narratives in European audiences

In an era where online activity dominates, the flow of information across borders has become nearly limitless, raising concerns about authoritarian regimes exploiting this to influence foreign perceptions. This dissertation investigates the psychological responses of European audiences targeted by Russian malign information influence campaigns. It focuses on how audiences respond to narratives crafted by Kremlin-sponsored media outlets RT and Sputnik. It uses content analysis and experiments to investigate the impact of these narratives on emotions, trust, and identity responses. The findings aim to enhance understanding of the psychological effects of Russian information influence and inform strategies to counteract its impact.