Psychology and sociology/12. Social psychology

Chernov D.N., Sanoyan T.R.

The Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov, Russia

Peculiarities of the collective subject «the parent–the child» in the families which are bringing up junior school children*

The position, that formation of the child personality occurs in the interaction with adults, a priori to modern science. In Russian psychology is the dominant position of L.S. Vygotsky that the child's mental development is carried in the framework of the social situation of development, which is defined as a specific type of relationship between the child and the social environment (Vygotsky, 1982). On the basis of this concept we developed a psychological-anthropological model of socio-cultural situation of development of the child personality. The centre of the model is the interaction of the child with significant adults in the child-parent and child-teacher generalities, based on the anthropological conception of the child as a unique developing subject, not only mastering the socio-cultural space, but able to be its creator (Chernov, 2011). A new look at the role of structural and dynamic system of child-adult generalities in the development of the child as the subject of his life's journey allows social and psychological achievements of the subject-activity approach. In this approach, the impact of external factors in the development is seen through the mediation of internal conditions that constitute a holistic subject (S.L. Rubinstein, K.A. Abulkhanova, A.V. Brushlinsky, etc.). Any generality of individuals (even dyad) can in principle be by this holistic subject. The most consistent ontological and epistemological meaning of the term «collective subject» from the standpoint of subject-activity approach has been considered in A.L. Zhuravlev’s works. Criteria for the collective subject (the interconnectedness / interdependence, the ability to exercise common forms of activity and self-reflexive), the levels of development and types of collective subject (pre-subjectivity, real subjectivity and reflexive subjectivity) were identified (Zhuravlev, 2002).

We hypothesized that child–parent generality developing the type of collective subject, characterized by: a close interrelationship/interdependency of its component individual subjects; deep need in a joint activity and activity in the course of which an adult is able to create a zone of proximal development of the child's subjectivity, a high degree of reflexive relationship to actual and potential child abilities and create opportunities of subjective conditions for their implementation and the formation of reflexive position to themselves and the conditions of their life, developing efficiency in any sphere of life of the child's personality, ability to mediate (to smooth and enhance) the sociocultural influence on the child's personality (Chernov, 2012). From this perspective, we examined the extent to which formed the collective subject «the parent–the child» in families with children of primary school age.

Methods. Mothers filled a questionnaire «The analysis of family relationships» (QAFR) (Eydemiller, Yustitskis, 2000) and a questionnaire of parental relations (QPR) (Varga, Stolin, 1989). For an estimation of the general orientation of parent's activity a questionnaire «The person orientation» by V. Smekal – M. Kucher (QPO) (in Osnitskiy, 1996) was used. For diagnostics of propensity of the parent to the reflective relation to its life the questionnaire of diagnostics of reflexivity (QDR) (Carpov, 2003) was used. We created a projective method «The parent and the child are together», intended for diagnostics of child-parental relations as the collective subject (PMCS) (Chernov, 2011). Specificity of child experience of interpersonal relations was investigated by means of a method «Film-test» by R. Zhil (FT) (Gil'yasheva, Ignat'eva, 1994). Children carried out a projective method «Kinetic drawing of a family» (KDF) (Berns, Kaufman, 2003) and answered the questionnaire «My family» (QMF). The statistical analysis was spent by means of Statistics 9.0. The Factor analysis is used.

Sample. 134 children at the age of 7 years – 8 years 11 months (64 girls and 70 boys) and their mothers 27–41 years old involved in research. All children visit school.

Results and their discussion. For the purpose of a general concept about structure of child-parental relations the Factor analysis of data by methods QAFR, QPR, QPO, QDR, PMCS, FT, KDF, and QMF is carried out. In accordance with the criterion of selection by R. Cattell data structure is explained by five factors that explain 47.7% of all estimates.

The largest percentage of data explained Factor №1, which was named «The collective subject "the parent–the child” with the style of parental relation “the indulging hyperpatronage”»: the mother gives the child enough time, seeks to maximize the satisfaction of their needs; the child makes the minimum number of requirements (obligations and prohibitions); sanctions for violation of the requirements are also minimal; characterized by expansion of parental feelings, preference the baby qualities in the child (QAFR). Mother seeks to establish a cooperative relationship with the child (QPR), it is characterized by: a high level of personal reflexivity (QDR), the collectivist person orientation (QPO), a high degree of interconnection/interdependence with the child, high intensity and extension of the areas of joint activity with a child and reflexive to the joint life (PMCS). The child has a positive attitude to the immediate social environment, inquisitive, sociable, socially adequate (FT), considers the family situation as favorable (KDF and QMF).

Factor №2 is named «The positive attitude of the child to the social environment»: the child has a positive attitude to his father, parents as a couple, siblings, grandmother/grandfather, friends and significant adults (FT).

Factor №3 – «The unconditional acceptance of the child»: any style preferences in child care is not manifestation (QAFR), mother demonstrates a high level of emotional acceptance child (QPR). The child demonstrates the desire to dominate, it conflicts, aggressive, but the behavior is socially adequate (FT), the family situation is perceived as favorable (KDF).

Factor №4 – «The directive hypersocialization»: the mother presents to a child excessive demands–prohibitions, violation of which is followed by severe sanctions, she is afraid of losing contact with the child (QAFR); mother is characterized by a child's emotional acceptance in combination with an directive hypersocializing parenting style (QPR), it is characterized by «for itself» personal orientation (QPO). The child positively relates to the significant adults, is inquisitive, sociable, socially adequate, but – conflict and inclined to solitude (FT), the family situation is perceived by the child as favorable (KDF).

Factor №5 was called «The collective subject "the parent–the child” with the style of parental relation “the directive hypersocialization”»: the mother is prone to directive hypersocializing parenting style and, at the same time refers to the child as a «the little underdog» (QPR). In this case, the mother is characterized by a relatively high level of interconnection/interdependence with the child, high intensity and extension of the areas of joint activity with a child and reflexive relation to the joint life (PMCS). Note that the binding force of characteristics of the full-fledged collective subject with its own factor value is lower than the connection of the same characteristics with its own factor №1 value.

So, in families bringing up junior schoolers, gain of the desire to create a full-fledged collective subject with a child is characteristically. On the one hand, the general background to its formation, as well as the families who are bringing senior preschoolers (Chernov, Romaschuk, 2012), continues to be the style of «the indulging hyperpatronage», but in some cases, this style gives way to directive hypersocializing parenting style.

Thus, the most subjective qualities of child-parental generality (the type – the collective subject) revealed in older preschool – primary school age. A collective subject is implemented by a specific type of parental relationship. However, the question of what style of parenting is the most adequate for the full disclosure of children's personality, should be the topic of a separate study. It is important not only fixation the features of formation of the child–parental generality as a collective subject of a certain age, but also the verification of the effectiveness of these characteristics for the formation of the child in any sphere of emotional, cognitive and personal development.

* Research is executed at the Russian Foundation for Humanities financial support of the project of carrying out of scientific researches «Model of sociocultural conditionality of language development in ontogenesis», project №12-06-00237а.