Potential for confliction in COVID-induced discourse in terms of training staff for law enforcement agencies

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to construct a worldview model for a group of individuals prone to conflictive speech behaviour. This model can help law enforcement officers, including those still in training, to build an optimal communication strategy, even in unfavourable conditions. The material of the study is based on the comments in social media in respect of regional news items (TASS and Vesti-Kaliningrad press agencies). The relevant effective information engendered verbal reactions that proved to be most demonstrative for consideration and modelling. The article considers such aspects as various cognitive distortions inherent in individuals of a social medium at periods of maximum uncertainty; destructive speech strategies, manipulative strategies and manifestations of hostile rhetoric. A number of elements of the conspiratorial worldview, representing a constitutive role within the discourse in question, were considered and described.