以往研究虽然指出了广告中某些模糊语的潜在误导性,但是却未能对其赖以运作的社会心理机制进行探讨。鉴于此,本研究采用受众调查与访谈的方法,在批评语用学框架内考察误导性模糊话语所顺应的社会心理因素,开展相关话语实践的批评语用分析。研究表明,电视直销广告商往往善于掌握消费者的迷信科技与权威心理、求廉、求奇心理和从众心理等相关心理因素,利用模糊话语的模糊属性来对相关心理进行负面的顺应,从而顺利地达到误导消费者的目的。该研究成果可为政府部门对电视广告话语的监管和规范提供一定参考。

Previous studies of advertisements revealed the potentially misleading or deceptive effect of vague language used in advertisements, but failed to explore the socio-psychological mechanism behind the use of misleading or deceptive vague discourse. In view of this research gap, the present study, adopting the methods of audience survey and interview, aims to investigate the socio-psychological factors adapted to by advertisers in the use of misleading vague discourse within the framework of critical pragmatics. The analysis shows that TV shopping advertisers tend to focus on prospective customers’ psychological tendencies (such as blind belief in high technology and authority, pursuit of cheapness and novelty, crowd mentality, etc.) and adapt negatively to those mentalities in the use of vague discourses so as to mislead the customers into buying their products. This study could provide some reference for the government departments concerned in their supervision and management of the TV advertising programs.