Psychology and Sociology / 3. Modern Trends in Methodology of

Psychological Research

Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor, Lyubov Spivak

Kamenetz-Podolsk National University named after Ivan Ogiyenko, Ukraine

Integrative and Axiological Paradigm of Development of a

National Self-Consciousness of Personality in the juvenile age

The development of a national self-consciousness of personality and, especially, a national self-consciousness of personality in the juvenile age at different stages of ontogenesis is a key problem of modern psychological science and practice. Today, the young people are facing various socially significant tasks that are to be solved successfully under complex and dynamic conditions of modern society. The young age is the most sensitive to social transformation, which should be taken into consideration when focusing on students’ national upbringing in higher educational institutions. Due to its highly fundamental level the issue of conceptual paradigm of the development of national self-consciousness of personality in the juvenile age is becoming the most relevant.

It is impossible to choose the research approach to a certain problem without a profound analysis of a number of existing fundamental classical and contemporary conceptual paradigms and approaches within psychology. At the same time, due to a diverse and specific nature of the problem of the development of a national consciousness of personality in the juvenile age the integrative and axiological approaches should be the most appropriate. The appropriateness of the integrative approach as one of the key approaches in the author’s paradigm is supported, on the one hand, by the availability of integrative processes and group integration as the necessary conditions for the existence of the national community; the idea of integrative character is supported by the availability of self-consciousness (L.S. Vygotskyi, 1983; I.I. Chesnokova, 1974); “I” (K. Rogers, 1959); self-identity (E. Erikson, 1968; A. Teshfel, 1982); the national “self-image” (M.J. Boryshevskyi, 2012); national self-consciousness (J. Vyrost, 1989); and also by specific features of the genesis of self-consciousness of personality in the juvenile age as regards national consciousness (namely, strengthening the integrative tendencies in this process; axiological and integrated “self” as its result – G.S. Abramova, 2001; I.S. Kon, 1979); on the other hand – by conceptual positions of a chosen approach, ensuring the integration of a number of scientific positions into a specific research methodology.

In line with the integrative approach foreign and Ukrainian scientists (N.V. Antonova, T.M. Zelinska, A.V. Yurevich, V.M. Yamnyckyi) have postulated the significance of the combination of these scientific paradigms, principles and ideas which are valuable for a profound study of the specified problem.

In modern psychological science the formation of research methodology should be performed according to the principles of mutual and liberal integration of different scientific approaches, which will determine the model of this research. Within the psychological science it is appropriate to integrate the approaches which focus on: the cognitive processes, human emotions and behaviour; the study of the levels of determination of mentality – psychophysical, internally mental, psycho-physiological, psycho-social, theoretical and practical psychology (A.V. Yurevich, 2010). Future research of the concept of a person’s identity in general and a person’s national identity in particular are within the integrated achievements of different scientific approaches (N.V. Antonova, 1996).

Successful application of the integrative approach is presented in works of modern Ukrainian psychologists such as V.M. Yamnytskyi and T.M. Zelinska. Thus, being focused on the problem of adults’ creative activities V.M. Yamnyckyi emphasised the integrity and balance as the key characteristics of integration, which is the main result of the integration process. “Theoretically, the integrative approach is a certain generalisation and a further development of holistic (or systematic) approach to the analysis of the human phenomena” [2, p. 149], – said the scientist.

In her research focused on young people’s ambivalence T.M. Zelinska [1] has outlined the most recent personal and integrative approach, defining its integrative component as the unification and systematisation of scientific achievements.

The following methods are integrated into the research methodology of young people’s national self-consciousness development: genetic and modelling (I.D. Bekh, 1995; I.S. Bulakh, 2004); experimental and genetic (S.D. Maksymenko, 2006). These methods were fully described in our previous publication [2].

The choice of the axiological approach as the key approach in the author's paradigm is explained by the fact that, on the one hand, the young age is a key period for the formation of a personality’s system of values, which also includes national values, and, on the other hand, the origins and sources (person’s absolute axiological attitude towards another significant representative of a certain nation; a common memory shared by the representatives of a certain nation about their common history, language etc.), the process and the final result of the development of young person’s national self-consciousness has both national and axiological characteristics and ideas. The foundation for the axiological approach is laid by the following conceptual scientific statements focused on: a close link between the processes of self-consciousness formation and the formation of personality’s system of values (I.D. Bekh, 2003; B.S Bratus, 1988; I.S. Bulakh, 2004; G.L. Budinaite, 1993; T.V. Kornilova, 1993; D.O. Leontyev, 1996; N.I. Nepomnyashcha, 2000; M. Rosenberg, 1965; V.V. Stolin, 1983); the axiological character of the concepts of “national self-consciousness” (M.J. Borichevskyi, 2003; P.I. Gnatenko, 2000), “national identity” (M.A. Kozlovets, 2010).

Following the positions expressed by I.D. Bekh, B.S. Bratus, I.S. Bulakh, G.L. Budinaite, D.O. Leontyev and N.I. Nepomnyashcha, in the author's paradigm, we appeal to the concept of “personal values” and not to the concept of “values of the personality”. Personal values are distinguished by a high level of realisation. These values, which have been transformed from social values in the process of interiorisation, are realised and accepted by a person as the key objectives and principles of his/her life (B.S. Bratus, G.L. Budinaite, T.V. Kornilova and D.O. Leontyev). In a consciousness of the personality these values are reflected in the axiological form (in the form of aspirations, internal desires (I.D. Bekh) and motives). Personal values are possessed by a self-identified person and perform a function of realised axiological and normative regulator of a person’s behaviour in society and in the national community. An essential condition for the existence of personal values is a position in the system “I/another” (I.S. Bulakh, N.I. Nepomnyashcha). Undoubtedly, among personal values the leading position is taken by such national values which are interiorised, realised and integrated by a person to his/her own system of values.

Thus, according to the integrative and axiological paradigm, the development of national self-consciousness of personality in the juvenile age is a complex and integrated process of self-reflection, self-esteeming, self-affirmation as the representative and the subject of a nation, the carrier of its values (language, culture etc.). In a methodological perspective, the integrative and axiological paradigm is an important tool for studying the genesis national self-consciousness of personality in the young. The results of this research will be introduced in our next publications.

References:

1. Zelinska, T.M. Psykhologiya osobystisnoyi ambivalentnosti v yunatskomu vici [Psychological Foundation for Young Peoples’ Ambivalence]: Thesis of Doctor of Psychological Sciences: 19.00.07 / T.M. Zelinska. – K., 2014. – 543 p.

2. Spivak, L.M. Metodologichna paradygma doslidzhennya rozvytku natsionalnoyi samosvidomosti osobystosti v yunosti [Methodological Paradigm for the Research of the Development of Young People’s National Self-Consciousness] / L.M. Spivak // Naukovyi chasopys NPU im. M.P. Dragomanova. Seriya 12. Psykhologichni nauky: zbirnyk nauk. prats [Scientific Journal of National Pedagogical University named after M.P. Dragomanov. Series No. 12. Psychological Sciences: Collection of Research Works]. – K.: National Pedagogical University named after M.P. Dragomanov, 2013. – No.42 (66). – P. 135-141.

3. Yamnyckyi, V.M. Psykhologichni chynnyky zhyttevoyi aktyvnosti osobystosti v doroslomu vitsi [Psychological Factors of the Development of Adult’s Creative Activities]: Thesis of Doctor of Psychological Sciences: 19.00.07 / V.M. Yamnyckyi. – K., 2005. – 479 p.