Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 5, Number 1, Spring / Summer 2020 | Page 76

Global Security and Intelligence Studies
Both Western and Russian media covered
the spectrum in detailing Putin’s
persona and actions during this time
period. However, no existing research
has proven the causality between combinations
of specific psychology theories
and present-day Russian political
goals and power methods. This research
aims to fill the current gap allowing several
critical themes and an illustration
of the resultant bifurcation to emerge.
The review of varied primary
source material highlights Putin’s
unique manipulation of specific psychological
constructivist theories that
facilitate and reinforce his overall pragmatic
and power politics approach.
Through analysis, the following themes
emerge. First, since the fall of the Soviet
Union and the floundering of the new
underdeveloped “westernized” Russian
system, the emergent domestic and international
political power player, Vladimir
Putin, has tapped into the unique
Russian identity. He has forcefully constructed
specific images and narratives
and deliberately forced differentiation
among social categories of target audiences
to consolidate power, enhance
stability, and achieve a variety of Realpolitik
political goals that are meant to
bring Russia the international respect
and prominence that the country feels
it deserves. Second, despite being calculated
and pragmatic in his political
approaches, Putin relies heavily on the
combined effects of humiliation theory,
social theory, and image theory to
consolidate his power structure and influence
various target audiences in order
to project and facilitate heightened
social categorization, tailored schemas,
and specific political aspirations. Finally,
Putin and his Russian political apparatus
have embraced and deployed an
entire spectrum of propaganda vehicles
and techniques used to reinforce the
salience of and weaponize these select
political psychology theories.
Research Design
Through the application of three
psychological theories, Putin assessed
the government’s efforts
to unify Russian society and expand
its sphere of influence. In this study,
the first step is to evaluate the various
political psychology theories that have
been operationalized and reinforced by
Putin’s effective use of propaganda and
power politics. The second step is to analyze
the goals, intentions, and recent
successes of both Russian leadership
and society. Through thematic coding
and analysis of relevant and current
open-source materials, the convergence
indicates Putin’s disciplined understanding
and deliberate management of
Russian identity and perception. Qualitative
evidence from over two-dozen
primary and secondary sources concludes
and explains how Putin has harnessed
and operationalized the effects
of these theories to his advantage.
This research article takes a qualitative
and exploratory approach in
studying the direct effects of a polarizing
yet consolidating Russian influence
by the Putin administration to actively
target and coax the internal workings of
various groups and schemas. Russian
leadership and the post-Soviet society’s
best attempt to achieve desired politi-
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