Social Activity of Youth: A Systematic Diachronic Approach

Introduction. This paper concentrates on studying psychological mechanisms of social activity, which determine individuals’ behavioral strategies, actions, and sequential behavior in the social environment. By applying a systematic diachronic approach, this study was undertaken to analyze social activity, its mechanisms, and determinants. The original systematic diachronic approach is capable of revealing the complex internal organization of social activity and may help develop means for managing risks among youth. Theoretical Basis. Current research on social activity is focused on its motivation, content, factors, levels, and social risks. Social activity is considered in terms of social and personal effects as a way of social participation and self-realization. Young people’s protest and civil activities are of particular interest to researchers. A review of literature revealed that little emphasis has been placed on the issues of social activity and difficulties in operationalization of the phenomena of social activity among individuals and groups. Thus, disparate data on its foundations, driving forces, mechanisms, and public effects should be brought together. Results and Discussion. Social activity is a fundamental effect of the socialization of individuals, which determines social subjects’ initiative impact on the social environment, their participation in social life, and initiative and creative relation to all social spheres, as well as self-relation. The system of social activity is considered as a system containing a meta-system level of social reality. This study (a) discusses characteristics of the systematic diachronic approach to the analysis of social activity, (b) establishes a nonlinear dynamics of social activity of individuals which is caused by diachrony of its internal and external instances, (c) considers its incentive and structural mechanisms and factors, which are differentiated by the stage of individuals’ socialization and their social maturity, and (d) reveals the most important personal characteristics that regulate social activity including initiative, independence, responsibility, and social intelligence

A New Measure of Traditional Values Across Cultures: China and Russia Compared

A new measure of adherence to traditional values was created with the objective of facilitating research within and across cultures and nations. The measure was tested in China (N = 321) and Russia (N = 314) and factor analysis of the data revealed two subscales named Personal Traditional Values (10 items) and Public Traditional Values (6 items). Empirical psychometric testing of the overall 16-item measure and the two subscales strongly supported the validity and reliability of all three measures. Means comparisons conducted to assess how well the measures could be used for cross-cultural comparisons revealed the Russians somewhat more than the Chinese living by traditional values overall, both nations about equal on living according to traditional values in their personal lives, and the Russians significantly more inclined to abide by traditional values in public. Also tested were several social and psychological variables as theoretical predictors of living by traditional values, and Life Satisfaction was tested as a possible correlate of living according to traditional values. Regression analyses on the combined data confirmed that Family Emotional Support, Conscientiousness, Collectivism, and Age were all significant positive predictors of living by traditional values. Additional regressions also found some unique predictors for each nation. These findings and the results of the parametric tests support the use of the new scales for measuring traditional values both within and across cultures

THE IMAGE OF SOCIALLY ACTIVE INDIVIDUAL IN THE REPRESENTATIONS OF STUDENT YOUTH

The study of students’ representations of a socially active individual is one of the major tasks of psychology of education. The purpose of the study is to carry out analysis of characteristics of an image of a socially active individual in the representations of student youth and to correlate them with self-assessment of social activity and assessment of real social activity. Students aged 17-23 years (n=251) took part in the study ?=20.11, SD=1.2 (41% men). We used the polling method with the scales developed by the authors of the present study in order to identify self-assessment of social activity, to evaluate real activity; and the associative experiment method. In the study we analysed qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the image of a socially-active individual in the representations of university students. We have established major meaningful characteristics of representations (personal qualities, self-improvement and personal transformation, states, representation in the group, process and activity-related characteristics). Conclusion has been made about the connection between the intensity of students’ social activity and cognitive complexity of the image of a socially active individual and the content of subjective (initiative, confidence) and psychodynamic (vigour) categories in it

Social Activity of Personality and Groups: Definition, Structure and Mechanisms

The problem of social activity of the personality and groups becomes central in modern social, economic and political psychology. The innovative processes in the society, maintaining a dynamic balance in it, entirely depend on the release of the social activity of the individuals and groups, on its freedom and diversity, constructiveness and responsibility. The article presents a theoretical analysis of the problem of operationalization of the phenomena of social activity of the individual and groups, the synthesis of the disparate data on its foundations, motivators, mechanisms and social effects. The definition of social activity as a special case of initiative impact of social actors on the social environment, as the actions aimed at changing and transforming social objects as a result of which there is a change in the personality and the entire social situation, the problem of its operationalization is discussed. It is shown that social activity is the effect of socialization and development of the individual. The differences of social activity in different age periods and its importance for the individual and its sociopsychological status are singled out. The multi-component structure of the social activity, including the cognitive, emotionally-evaluative, motivational, and behavioral components are highlighted. The incentive mechanisms of social activity (motivation, satisfaction/dissatisfaction as an indicator of diachronic mismatch of personality and the social environment) are analyzed. The empirical research aimed at finding out the predictors and basis of the dominant types of social activity of the individual is outlined

PREDICTORS OF SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION OF THE UNEMPLOYED AND PEOPLE WITH REGULAR EMPLOYMENT

The article discusses the results of a study on the socio-psychological adaptation predictors of the unemployed in relation to people with regular employment. It is assumed that adaptation of the employed and the unemployed is determined by various socio-psychological phenomena; definition of the phenomena will allow to develop programmes of adaptation for the unemployed with preservation of motivation for self-realization. In total, 362 people (33% of whom were male) took part in the study, including 196 unemployed. Standardized methods and scales developed by the authors for assessing the subject position characteristics and adaptive readiness of a person were used. It was found that the unemployed are characterized by lower indicators of socio-psychological adaptation and characteristics that are of paramount importance for adaptation - self-acceptance, acceptance of others, emotional comfort. Socio-demographic characteristics, scales of subjective position, adaptive readiness, subjective well-being and values were consistently introduced to the regression equation. It is shown that adaptive readiness and values are the strongest predictors for the employed, while indicators of subjective well-being and value are more significant for the unemployed. The general predictors of adaptation are the level of education, happiness (positively) and negative affect (negatively). In other cases, the predictors are strictly differentiated

The image of socially active individual in the representations of student youth

The study of students’ representations of a socially active individual is one of the major tasks of psychology of education. The purpose of the study is to carry out analysis of characteristics of an image of a socially active individual in the representations of student youth and to correlate them with self-assessment of social activity and assessment of real social activity. Students aged 17-23 years (n=251) took part in the study М=20.11, SD=1.2 (41% men). We used the polling method with the scales developed by the authors of the present study in order to identify self-assessment of social activity, to evaluate real activity; and the associative experiment method. In the study we analysed qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the image of a socially-active individual in the representations of university students. We have established major meaningful characteristics of representations (personal qualities, self-improvement and personal transformation, states, representation in the group, process and activity-related characteristics). Conclusion has been made about the connection between the intensity of students’ social activity and cognitive complexity of the image of a socially active individual and the content of subjective (initiative, confidence) and psychodynamic (vigour) categories in it

Positive and Negative Affects and Cultural Attitudes among Representatives of the Host Population and Second-Generation Migrants in Russia and Kazakhstan

The experience of experiencing a new culture for first-generation migrants is usually quite an intense occurrence, one that has become the subject of numerous studies. However, the question of what happens later, at the level of the second and subsequent generations, is still under-investigated. The purpose of this study was to analyze the predictors of positive and negative affect of the second generation of migrants and representatives of the host (indigenous) population in Kazakhstan and Russia. The study involved 300 people selected on the basis of the principle of proportionality (quota selection). Survey methods and mathematical methods of data processing, including SEM (structural equation modeling), were used. The research model included comparative analysis of averages, regression analysis, and path analysis. The results testified in favor of the similarity of positive and negative affect indicators and their ratios in representatives of the host community and the second generation of migrants. Cultural attitudes of the host community representatives were characterized by higher certainty and rigidity than those of the representatives of the second generation of migrants. As a result of structural modeling, it was found that 20% of the positive affect dispersion in the representatives of the host community and 17% in the representatives of the second generation of migrants were conditioned by values, identity, and cultural attitudes. Positive affect in the representatives of the host community was associated with the values of self-overcoming, ethno-nihilism-based identity, and participation in cultural life of other peoples. Positive affect in representatives of the second generation of migrants was associated with the values of openness, attitude towards changing one’s ethnic identity, positive attitude towards cultural borrowings, and a tendency to observe the traditions of one’s ethnic group. Proposals have been formulated that contribute to reducing the cultural disunity of second-generation migrants and the host population