Analysis of the influence of a media text pragmatic component and its structure on verbal aggression in readers’ comments

In this research, regression and pragmalinguistic analyses are conducted to determine the degree of the media text influence on the readers’ perception and to identify how disinformation in the media text correlates with the verbal aggression in readers’ comments. The regression analysis results in statistical data on the influence of spatial-temporal characteristics and pragmatically significant elements on the percentage of readers’ comments containing verbal aggression. The regression model revealed a strong functional dependence between the usage of modal verbs in the media texts and verbal aggression in the readers’ comments. The pragmalinguistic analysis proved that readers respond aggressively to media texts which contain modal verbs and other elements that make the media text uncertain and emotional. The readers assume such media texts are fake news. The media text analysis which includes the application of the regression model and the pragmalinguistic analysis identifies the cause-and-effect relationships between the components of a media text and their impact on readers’ perception.