Health Discourse Construction On Social Media: A Socio- Cognitive Approach To Investigate The Approaches And Constraints Of Health Discourse Popularisation On Social Media

Author(s): Narimane Boudali

Conference: Dubai One Health Conference

Publication Date: 23 June, 2023

Keywords: Critical Discourse Analysis, Intertextuality, Attitude System, Engagement System, Appraisal, Reification.

Abstract

This research explores the construction of health discourse on social media from a critical perspective, examining both the production and reception of health information and its interplay with societal, cultural, and religious structures in Algeria. While communication between experts and non-experts is widely studied, applying critical discourse analysis to investigate how health information is produced and received on social media remains underexplored in the Algerian context.

This study analyzes health communication between experts and non-experts on Instagram, using qualitative data collected from twelve Algerian health-related accounts. Posts and comments were examined through Fairclough’s (1995) three-dimensional model, operationalizing Van Dijk’s (2014) socio-cognitive approach to discourse analysis. By applying micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis, the study connects discourse structures to social practices, considering social cognition as a mediating factor.

The analysis uses the Engagement and Attitude systems (Martin & White, 2005) to identify voices and stances. Findings reveal that the Engagement system reflects the integration of cultural and religious assumptions within scientific discourse. This intertextuality and interdiscursivity are key strategies for constructing health knowledge, promoting an educative approach that encourages fact-checking rather than imposing a top-down expert narrative—highlighting the challenge of identifying expertise on social media. Additionally, the Attitude system indicates polarized attitudes toward cultural and religious assumptions.