The Foundations of Human Pro-Social Behaviour: Some Economic Aspects

Pro-social behaviour has an economic foundation. Income rate, social discount rates, incentives and welfare motives force agents to act pro-socially. Pro-social behaviour is realized through the institution of social responsibility, which includes non-market coordination mechanism, altruism, social capital and trust. The nature of the institute of social responsibility and its components are described in the first part of the paper. The second part describes the conditions that promote pro-social behaviour and reflect the main features of the institute of social responsibility. In the third part we tested the hypothesis of the second part on the basis of a comparative analysis of pro-social behaviour in Russia and OECD countries. In the fourth part we summed up the conclusions of the study. The study found a direct connection between the pro-social behaviour, the level of trust, volunteer and charitable activities. For empirical testing of theoretical hypotheses we use sociological surveys data of WVS (2010-2014), ESS (2012). In this paper we evaluated the pro-social behaviour in Russia in comparison with OECD countries. We used the following indicators: positive expectations for the future, trust, participation in volunteer activities and charity. We found that pro-social activity is poorly implemented in Russia. The low level of per capita income, low level of interpersonal trust, weak development of volunteer and charitable activities and pessimistic expectations of the future - these are the key factors that reduce pro-social activity in Russia

Dynamics of Reading Culture in the Global Information Society

The article raises the issue of reading culture dynamics in the global information society. The tendency of the development of the modern information society is the change in the axiological status of practices that previously had a marker of elitist, high-status intellectual participants (reading fiction, hearing and understanding classical art, conscious perception of modern art, etc.). Reading is connected with the definition of the status of information as a socio-cultural phenomenon and carriers of information, which are basic for modern man. Fiction acquires the importance of a marker of the relationship of the individual with the extra-utilitarian practices of modern society. Reading is still the practice of elite, despite the declared availability of knowledge in the post-industrial era. A new kind of reading culture is being born, which is presented by "texts about texts" since in the modern world, it is not the phenomenon which is important but its presentation. New network media begin to be experts which define the borders and the orientation of reading. They emphasize novelty and a broad thematic scope of literary texts, which reviews will become basic for the world view of a modern person

Social and Economic Activity of the Elder Generation in Tomsk Region

Social and economic activity of the Russian elder generation has a contradictory nature. On the one hand, Russian pensioners often continue working beyond the existing comparatively low retirement age, on the other hand, in terms of involvement in volunteering, political activities, and even in care for children and grandchildren they lag significantly behind the average European level. Explaining it only by the lack of time does not seem plausible, since in many European countries, the employment rates, involvement in unpaid work and caring for other family members are all higher than in Russia. In our study we attempt to identify reasons for lower social and economic activity of older adults in Russia as compared with European countries. We use data of Tomsk regional survey (2015, N=400) for accessing older adults' social activity. Data analysis on Tomsk region suggests that employment (as an activity) and education (as a prerequisite) contribute to higher involvement in social interactions in later life

Preconception Screening for Gene Polymorphisms Associated with Thrombophilia and Hyperhomocysteinemia Risk in Healthy Young Women

The frequency characteristics of the gene polymorphisms (FVL G1691A, FII G20210A, MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTRR A66G) associated with thrombophilia, hyperhomocysteinemia risk and different perinatal or pregnancy complications were studied. This examination was conducted among 130 planned-pregnancy healthy young women aged between 19 and 29 years. A gene mutation analysis was performed using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). Factor V Leiden (FVL G1691A) and prothrombin gene (FII G20210A) mutations were not identified in the women surveyed. The frequency of the occurrence of the heterozygous FVL 1691G/A genotype associated with the risk of thrombosis during pregnancy was very low in these women (0.8%). The frequency of the MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) 1298C/С mutant genotype was 11.5%, MTHFR 677T/Т – 5.4%, and MTRR (methionine synthase reductase) 66G/G – 31.5%. A combination of the MTHFR 677TT/1298CC and MTHFR 677TТ/MTRR 66GG mutant genotypes, which significantly increased the risk of pregnancy loss and neural tube defects, were found to occur in 0.8% of the cases.We concluded that selective thrombophilia screening (FVL G1691A and FII G20210A) based on prior personal and/or family history of venous thromboembolism was more cost-effective than a universal preconception screening in all planning pregnancy women. However, in order to decrease the risk of congenital anomalies and pregnancy complications associated with folate dependent homocysteine metabolism, preconception care should include folate supplementatio

The organization of the rating system for assessing the quality of university students training

In spite the universities use the rating system of assessing for a quite long time, this issue is still not fully considered. The article is based on the position of insufficient state of knowledge of the multifunctionality of the students rating. The rating helps to reveal the potential of students. It is mentioned that the rating system of assessment is a tool that will improve the quality of training and provide the required level of motivation. During the research, the following methods were used: analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction. As a result, the principles of the rating assessment system were revealed, a definition of the term "Rating" was given, its goals were indicated. As an example of the organization of the rating system of assessment, the Nyzhnii Novhorod State Pedagogical University and its "Regulations on the rating system for assessing the quality of student training" were used. It is noted that the rating includes: current check, midterm and final examinations. Further, all possible conditions under which the student receives points were identified and considered. On the example of the NSPU named after Kozma Minin transferring of the rating points into a five-point grading rating system is presented. Also, the types of violations for which points are discarded, are considered. As the study showed, comprehensive planned system yields productive results for students and the university.peer-reviewe

Predictors of Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults in Siberia

Life satisfaction is one of the constructs that constitute subjective well-being and thus represents an important measure in evaluating the quality of life in older adults. The goal of this study was to identify which predictors were more strongly associated with life satisfaction in a community of older adults living in Tomsk (Siberia, Russia). We analysed the preliminary data from the Monitoring Wellbeing in Older Adults Survey conducted in 2014. A subset of items corresponding to socio-demographic, physical and psychological health, social support, social interaction, and independence aspects were extracted and included in the analysis. Two hundred eighty-four respondents (212 female, age range: 52-91) participated in the study. In this sample, 68% of the respondents reported to be satisfied with their life. Logistic regression analysis showed that having a higher income level, a well-equipped house, and a lower level of anxiety and loneliness are associated with an increase in life satisfaction in older adults. These results suggest that both material aspects and psychological health could play an important role in determining the quality of life of older adults. This study provides helpful clues about which factors should be more deeply investigated in the future development of the survey

Cult of war: The Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces

The Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces in Kubinka near Moscow is a quintessential example of the post-Soviet populist ideology, representating a mixture of ostensibly religious values with multiple secular cult objects

Distribution of Polychaeta Communities in the Western and Northern Part of the Barents Sea

Species composition and quantitative characteristics of polychaetes in the western and northern parts of the Barents Sea were analyzed on the basis of the material collected in July and November 2017 on MMBI expeditions aboard the RV “Dalniye Zelentsy”. Three faunistic polychaete complexes were revealed, depending on environmental conditions in the study area. A change in species composition and structure of communities from the bottom topography, structure of bottom sediments and bottom hydrodynamics were noted. An increase in biomass and density of polychaetes settlement was revealed in deep-water areas of the Barents Sea, on soft silty-clay soils, where the dominant species is Spiochaetopterus typicus. A decrease in quantitative characteristics of polychaetes was observed in shallow areas, on hard soils, in the zone of intensive erosion of bottom sediments as a result of warm and cold currents interaction, where the polychaete Nothria hyperborea dominated

From ‘candidates’ to ‘grandmasters’: internationalization strategies of universities

Relevance. Higher education is one of the main areas for the development of national and world economy. To remain competitive on the national and international markets of higher education, universities need to invest considerable financial, human and other resources into internationalization. There is, however, no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution and universities may choose from an array of strategies to become more visible on the international arena and to move up the global rankings.Research objective. The purpose of this article is to clarify the concept of internationalization in the field of higher education, to identify the key factors that influence universities’ success in internationalization and to explore the strategies and activities used by universities from different countries to internationalize.Materials and Methods. Methodologically, this study relies on the methods of directed content analysis, cluster analysis with SPSS statistics, case studies and interviews. The sample included 32 universities from Western Europe, China and Japan, Russia and the USA – participants of international programs of competitiveness enhancement.Results. 7 key factors that determine the success of a university’s internationalization efforts were identified, the most important of which are financial resources and international interaction. The study also proposes a methodology based on calculation of the internationalization index, which can be applied to determine this or that university’s type and choose the optimal activities to enhance its internationalization.Conclusions. Relocation of the university to a type (cluster) of a higher level through the implementation of the proposed activities can be considered as a modern way of their internationalization