A Two-Factor Model for Perception of Graffiti by Metropolis Dwellers

Abstract

This study aims to describe the specific patterns of how urban residents evaluate graffiti texts. Data processing was carried out using the semantic differential technique, frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, multimodal scaling, and hierarchical cluster analysis. The analysis revealed two principal factors significant for assessing the appeal of vandalistically applied creolized texts: the dimension of positive / negative attitude toward the images and their verbal content; and the scope of the topic, ranging from global to local concerns, addressed by the graffiti. It was established that graffiti conveying positive messages and executed in a vivid, aesthetically appealing style elicit more favorable emotional responses. In contrast, graffiti dedicated to political or negative social phenomena are more likely to receive negative evaluations. Four semantic clusters of graffiti were identified: (1) protest-negativist graffiti, characterized by a low appeal index; (2) youth-subcultural graffiti, whose appeal index depends on the alignment between the author’s and the recipient’s motives; (3) socio-empathetic (didactic) graffiti, which possess a high appeal index due to their positive content and visual design; and (4) liberal-philosophical graffiti, where the polarity of evaluation and interpretation depends on the respondents’ political and philosophical beliefs, as well as the environmental context (placement location).