Проблеми сучасної психології (Apr 2020)
Cognitive Predictors of the Value of One’s Own Life in Students
Abstract
The aim of the article is to present the findings of the empirical research on the feeling of the value of one’s own life (VOL) in students. Experiencing the feeling of VOL is understood to be the intended activity of an individual through which they reinforce (strengthen) their psychological and personal being. A presumption about the important role of a cognitive factor in experiencing the feeling of VOL in students was tested. In the manifestation of VOL, the role of such a cognitive factor as basic beliefs was investigated. Methods. Basic beliefs were diagnosed using the modified questionnaire by R. Janoff-Bulman. To diagnose the parameters of the feeling of VOL, the author’s questionnaire was used. 286 students took part in the testing. The correlations between the scores of two questionnaires were calculated. Logistic regression was used. The results of the research. Parameters of the feeling of VOL such as «Optimism», «Health», «Self-control, Information, Self-development», «Power, Status, Wealth» and «Close relationships, Family, Relevance» turned out to be closely related to measures of basic beliefs. This is especially true of beliefs about justice, a positive self-image, control, goodwill. Age-related differences in the structure of correlations between the measures were revealed. For senior students, experiencing the feeling of VOL as possessing power, status and wealth is more closely linked to a basic belief about justice than for junior students. Concerning health, they often note the importance of control. When assessing the role of the family and close relationships senior students rely less on good luck than junior students. Two modes of experiencing the feeling of VOL were singled out, the «Building rapport with people» mode and the «Distancing from people» mode. Using the logistic regression, the probability was calculated with which the students’ tendency to build rapport with people would prevail over the students’ tendency to distance from people. As predictors, the regression equation included the measures of the basic belief questionnaire. Conclusions. It is proved that the predominance of the tendency of building rapport over the tendency of distancing when experiencing the feeling of VOL in students is determined by three cognitive predictors. These are beliefs about justice, about the control of the action and about a positive self-image. Beliefs about the goodwill of the surrounding community and about good luck were not included in the list of influential cognitive predictors for the feeling of VOL.
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