Psychology and sociology/12. Social
psychology
Chernov D.N., Ignatov Y.Y., Sanoyan T.R.
The Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov, Russia
The formation of the collective subject «parent–child» in ontogenesis*
On the basis of the
cultural-historical (L.S. Vygotsky) and subject-activity
approaches (S.L. Rubinstein, A.V. Brushlinsky, etc.) 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). This work presents the results
of a study of the formation of collective subject «parent–child» in ontogenesis.
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 «parent–child»
in families with children in younger preschool – younger school age.
Methods. We used method of cross sections. 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). The Factor analysis was spent by means of Statistics
9.0.
Sample. 120 children at
the age of 4 years 2 months – 4 years 11 months (59 girls and 61 boys) and
their mothers 22–41 years old involved in research; 106 children at the age of
5 years 6 months – 6 years 7 months (48 girls and 58 boys) and their mothers
25–43 years old involved in research (all children do
not visit school); 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 in each age period the factor analysis of data by
methods QAFR, QPR, QPO, QDR, PMCS, FT and KDF is carried out.
There
are four factors in younger preschool
period,
among which the most important for explaining the variance of estimations a
factor «Collective presubject “parent-child” with the absence of express style
preferences in upbringing» is
allocated. Factor is expressed when estimations on scales of the questionnaire
QAFR not reach the minimum diagnostic level, on the scales of QPR a low values
are observed. For mothers are characteristic: a high level of reflexivity
(QDR), collective person orientation (QPO), interaction/interdependency with
the child and reflexive relation of parent and child to their life together
(PMCS). The child has a positive attitude to the mother, the father, parents as
the couple, siblings, is inquisitive, aspires to domination in relations, is
sociable and socially adequate (FT), perceives a family situation as favorable
(KDF). Let's notice, that it is a relatively formed collective subject «parent–child»:
in the presence of interrelation/ interdependence between subjects and the
reflective relation, mainly, the parent to the child, we observe no connection
of width and intensity of joint activity of the parent and the child with value
of the factor. Such pattern of interrelations specifies in a presubject stage
(Zhuravlev, 2002) of development of a child-parental generality as the
collective subject that corresponds to representations about age stages of
formation of the child subjectivity (Selivanov, 2002).
There
are five factors in senior preschool
period,
among which the most important for explaining the variance of estimations a factor
«Collective subject “parent–child” with the style of parental relation “the
indulging hyperpatronage”». Factor is expressed when mother considers education
of the child by the central business of a life, aspires to satisfaction of all
child needs, shows to it minimal requirements, alternating
excessiveness/minimality of restrictions in a combination to a minimality of
sanctions; mother is inclined to expansion of sphere of parental feelings,
preference in the child of children's qualities, is inclined to solve problems
of matrimonial relations at the expense of the child (QAFR). Thus mother aspires to an
establishment co-operative, frequently, symbiotic relations with the child (QPR). For
mothers are characteristic: a high level of reflexivity (QDR), collective
person orientation (QPO), interaction/interdependency with the child, high
intensity and expansion of spheres of joint activity with the child and
reflexive relation of parent and child to their life together (PMCS). It is a
formed collective subject «parent–child»: in the presence of interrelation/
interdependence between subjects and the reflective relation, mainly, the
parent to the child, the tendency to increase in intensity and expansion of
spheres of joint activity of the parent and the child is observed. That is the
subject «parent–senior preschooler» is characterized by a «general» sign of the
advanced collective subject (Zhuravlev, 2002). Thus the child has a positive
attitude to the mother, the father, parents as the couple, significant adults,
is inquisitive, moderately contentious, aspires to domination in relations, is
sociable and socially adequate (FT), perceives a family situation as favorable
(KDF).
There are five factors in younger school period. The
largest percentage of data explained factor ¹1, which was named «The collective
subject "parent–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
¹5 was called «The collective subject "parent–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 ¹1 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, continues to be the style of «the indulging
hyperpatronage», but in some cases, this style gives way to directive hypersocializing parenting style.
So, the general conclusion of this study – the collective generality «parent–child» is formed to primary school
age. However, the question remains about the effectiveness of this collective
subject at each stage of ontogenesis in 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 ¹12-06-00237à.