Российский психологический журнал (Apr 2021)
Characteristics of Lifeworlds in Male and Female Youths at Different Age Periods
Abstract
Introduction. The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is an important stage in personality development, which changes the perception of the surrounding reality and lifeworld. Yet, little is known about this issue. This paper is the first report on the characteristics of lifeworld in male and female youths of different age groups. This study is based on the concept of F. Ye. Vasilyuk, who distinguished external and internal perspectives of lifeworld and their main characteristics (easiness/difficulty of the external world; simplicity/complexity of the internal world). Methods. The study used the technique for graphic representation of the vital psychological space (by G. V. Shukova) to assess the multi-component nature of the world as a criterion of its simplicity/complexity. To assess lifeworld easiness/difficulty the following diagnostic tools were used: (a) a modified version of the inventory for assessing the subjective distance of need-related objects by A. B. Kupreichenko; (b) the Questionnaire on the Value-Accessibility Ratio in Various Life Areas developed by E. B. Fantalova to determine the subjective difficulty of achieving meaningful objects; and (c) the questionnaire for assessing global life satisfaction and subjective level of happiness for an overall assessment of the subjective difficulty of the world. Results. The findings indicated that males and females aged 16–17 have similar lifeworlds in terms of the internal world simplicity/complexity and the external world easiness/difficulty. At the age of 18–22, females have a more complex and differentiated internal world. In males the space of lifeworld is simplified by this age. At this age differences manifest themselves in the fact females are less happy and satisfied with life, which is associated with an increase in the subjective difficulty of lifeworld. Discussion. Male and female youths’ lifeworld restructuring is associated with different ways in which they transform subjective reality.
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