PERSON-ORIENTED IRRITABILITY, SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL STEREOTYPES AS FACTORS OF ADOPTING CONTROLLING OR NON-AGGRESSIVE POSITION BY STUDENTS

V.G. MARALOV

Cherepovets State University, Cherepovets, RF

vgmaralov@yandex.ru

V.A. SITAROV

Moscow University for the Humanities, Moscow, RF

sitarov@mail.ru

Abstract

Introduction: The relevance of the problem is determined by the existing necessity to establish factors, mechanisms and conditions that are important for instilling the principles of non-aggressive behavior in students who propose to work in the sphere of psychological and educational support. The aim is to investigate the effect of person-oriented irritability, social and educational stereotypes on adopting either a controlling or manipulative position, or a non-aggressive position by students.

Materials and methods: In the present research, the following methods were adopted: theoretical (analysis, specification, generalization); empirical: unique techniques were developed for the purpose of studying intercommunication patterns between students, for determining levels of person-oriented irritability and the level of students’ rigidity; methods of statistical analysis of data: correlation analysis was performed, in which both linear and point-biserial (Pearson) correlation coefficient was employed. 133 students of both genders, average age 20, took part in the experiment, all of them proposing to work in the sphere of psychological and educational support (future teachers, psychologists, social care teachers) at Moscow University for the Humanities (60 persons) and Cherepovets State University (73 persons).

Results: The research helped to establish the following: a greater number of persons causing students’ irritation is associated with stronger factors for adopting controlling and manipulative positions. Vice versa, the low level of irritation caused by people is connected with more favorable conditions for adopting a non-aggressive position. We have also found out that the greatest rigidity of social and educational stereotypes is displayed by the students with apparent passive attitudes.

Discussion of results: we have characterized three groups of people that may cause a higher level of irritability, leading to adopting controlling and manipulative behavior patterns, the absence of which results in adopting a non-aggressive position. They include unsociable, reserved, slow or hyper-initiative persons. The most liable to social and educational rigidity are students with predominant passive position. Their attitude is characterized by prevalence of such stereotypes as denial of creative freedom for a university teacher, habit of obeying seniors’ orders, admitting necessity of strictness in a teacher, distrust of university’s character building potential (‘this work should be delegated to the family’).

Conclusion: we come to the conclusion that for the purpose of developing skills of non-aggressive communication, it is not enough for the future counselors of psychological and educational support just to be aware of ideas of non-aggression as a universal human value. It is also necessary to develop techniques that will teach students not to get irritated, to recognize and overcome their social and educational stereotypes.

The acquired results may be employed in practical training for creating a humanistic focus in personality development, for developing ability to build up relations avoiding overt and masked forms of pressure.

Keywords: non-aggressive communication, controlling behavior pattern, manipulative behavior pattern, non-aggressive behavior pattern, person-oriented irritability, social and educational stereotypes, students in the field of psychological and educational support.

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