Understanding of a Metaphor as a Way of External Representation of the Meanings of Individual’s Value Orientations

Abstract

The work is aimed at studying the use of metaphor as a psychological tool for rep- resenting the understanding of subjective personal meanings of value orientation. The materials of two empirical studies are obtained through a sample of part-time students of the Department of Labor Psychology and Psychological Counseling of the Moscow Pedagogical State University (N=50), 40% males and 60% fe- males, aged 19 to 32 years, the average age is 25 years, the average deviation in the sample is 3.2. Study 1 included measurements of indicators of personal value orientations. We used the techniques by O. I. Motkov and T.A. Ogneva “Value orientations of the individual (Version 2)”. Study 2 included individual conversations with participants during which they were asked to write metaphors for each of the previously ranked internal and external personal values. The results of the study suggest that there is a strong positive relationship between the individual’s emotional attitude to the metaphor of personal values and his/her assessment of the significance of value orientations. The data summarized in the study and the recommendations provided on their basis can be successfully applied in the educational process, as well as when dealing with value orientations of the individual in psychological counseling and psychotherapy. The materials of the study can also be used in the training/advanced training of psychologists and educators.

Keywords

• value orientations
• understanding of metaphors
• external representation
• interpretation of personal meanings.