Psycholinguistics in the age of mediatization: from textual decoding to media cognition

Abstract

The contemporary linguistic landscape is undergoing a radical transformation driven by the process of mediatization. In this era, media is no longer merely a conduit for information but the primary environment in which language evolves and cognitive structures are reshaped. This paper explores the transition from traditional psycholinguistic models of “textual decoding” to a new framework of “Media Cognition”. We argue that mediated stimuli, characterized by brevity, high emotional salience, and multimodal density, necessitate a restructuring of the recipient’s mental representations. Unlike face-to-face interaction, media communication is predominantly asynchronous and lacks immediate feedback loops. Consequently, the psycholinguistic load on the “verbal marker” increases significantly, as it must trigger specific cognitive frames without the benefit of interpersonal negotiation. By analyzing the intersection of cognitive load theory and digital semiotics, this study proposes a theoretical model for understanding how modern media environments dictate the parameters of linguistic comprehension and mental processing in the 21st century.