The results of an empirical study of the dynamics of perception of the international image of foreign countries by Russian youth in 2002–2023

The article presents the results of empirical studies of 2002–2006 and 2020–2023 by the author Olga Petrovna Gorbushina on the conditions for the formation and promotion of the country's image at the international level. Based on the methodological and empirical tools for studying the structure, models and factors of forming the image of countries, developed and defended by the author in a dissertation research in 2002–2005, a similar empirical study was conducted in 2020–2023, the main results of which are presented in this article. To compare and analyze the dynamics of perception of the image of foreign countries by modern Russian youth, the article provides an analysis of the results of both studies. The author identified and described the dynamics of changes in the ideas of Russian youth about the international image of foreign countries. The data obtained by the author are analyzed at the interdisciplinary level: at the intersection of psychology, political science, economics, and pedagogy. The reasons for the changes in the verbal choices of Russian youth on four scales are analyzed in detail. O.P. Gorbushina revealed an increase in the influence of such factors in the formation of the image of countries as the nature and depth of the image-forming information received about the country and emotionally colored assessments promoted on the Internet and the media through the activities of media personalities (media personalities), bloggers, YouTubers, influencers. The author gives and analyzes an example of the successful promotion of a positive international image of the country due to the purposeful actions of the government of the state to create and regulate the activities of these agents of image-forming information about the country. The results of verbal elections by Russian youth, the most attractive country for life and creating a family, are presented. Ator analyzed the reasons that contribute to the active promotion of the state at the international level on the example of strengthening the positive image of South Korea around the world, studied the phenomenon of the South Korean wave «Hallyu». Based on the data obtained and the analyzed results, O.P. Gorbushina proposed a system of psychological competencies (hard skills and soft skills) — skills, abilities, knowledge that modern Russian media personalities (media personalities), bloggers and influencers and their mentors need to have in order to successfully form and promote a positive international image of Russia. The conditions for the effectiveness of the activities of media personalities (media personalities), bloggers, YouTubers, influencers and their mentors to strengthen and promote a positive international image of Russia are outlined. The spheres and areas of practical application of the results and conclusions in the Federal State Educational Standards, state educational organizations and public youth movements are proposed to form a positive image of Russia, both within their own country and at the international level.