159
SUMMARIES
Methodological liberalism in psychology
A.V. Yurevich
The author analyzes peculiarities of the methodological aspect of
psychology which are usually described as signs of its permanent crisis. In the
author's opinion there is no reason to consider psychology as being in a state
of crisis. The idea that psychology is different from the «good» exact sciences
results from, first, an erroneous image of those sciences and, second, from
underestimating the potential of psychology as a science. The author puts
forward the conception of «methodological liberalism» which necessitates a
revision of the traditional interpretation of psychology's past, present and
future. The main idea of the conception is recognition of rival psychological
theories, of different levels of theoretical interpretation as authentic and
equal in rights.
Transition from primary
school to secondary as a psychological problem
G.A. Zuckerman
The author questions the necessity of synchronizing two transitions:
from junior school age to adolescence and from primary to secondary school. The
paper discusses new experimental data proving that transition to secondary
school is a crisis and points out the necessity of designing a new stage in
school education to ensure a smooth transition from primary to secondary
school, a stage that is missing at present. An experimental analysis of
academic achievements of more successful pupils allows the author to formulate
a hypothesis as to how instruction should be organized in that transitional
period.
Selectivity of memory and
orientation of thinking
E.I. Gorbacheva
The author substantiates an «object-content» approach to studying
selectivity of memory. Experiments have proved that orientation of thinking
processes is linked to the selectivity of memory processes. The author has
developed a method of studying memory which has revealed that a directed
selection of object characteristics and links and their inclusion in a mnemonic
scheme structurizing memorizing processes, is determined, on the one hand, by
forms of thinking activity that have developed as a result of instruction and,
on the other hand, by the individual features of the subject's mnemonic
functions.
The problem of mastering the
teaching profession in the context of the theory of Elkonin–Davydov
M.V. Kaminskaya
The article discusses the problem of mastering a teaching profession
from the perspective of the theory of development through instruction by
Elkonin–Davydov. The author details the logic and methods of working with teachers.
Mastering of the profession in the context of development through instruction
is perceived not as a collection of technical algorythms, but as evolution of
the content of the teacher's actions and their interpretation from the point of
view of the student as the subject of his own learning.
Psychological characteristics
of human ethnocultural development
V.YU. Khotinets
Ethnocultural approach to studying the nature and development of a human
being can be a means of bridging the gap between human nature and society, the
natural and the social in an individual, the processes of individualization and
socialization, onto- and sociogenesis. The article discusses empirical data
from studies of psychological laws determining the development of ethnic identity
in an ethnocultural environment.
Effect of ethnocultural
tradition on formation of the sex role identity of a person
O.G. Lopukhova
The article looks at the problem of the formation and manifestation of
an individual's sex role identity in the conditions of interaction of
160
traditional
ethnocultural sexual roles and factors caused by the social and economic
changes in modern society. Co-existence within one socio-economic system of a
Russian and a Tatar communities was used as a model which allows the
investigator to separate ethnocultural and socio-economic conditions of the
development of per-sonality. An adapted version of the Bem Sex Role Inventory
and a specially designed method of revealing sex role conceptions of the
subjects were used to determine the sex role identity of a person. It has been
proved that the process of sex role formation is most harmonious when
conceptions of masculinity/femininity correspond to the ethnocultural sex role
tradition. When socio-economic conditions of socialization conflict with the
cultural tradition, sex role conflicts may occur.
The profession of a
practising psychologist
M.A. Stepanova
Analyzing the contest «Psychologist of the year in education» the author
asks what kind of psychologist modern school needs. The article looks at
different conceptions of psychological counceling in the school and criteria
for assessing a psychologist's contribution to school education.
Structure and development of
the complex system of notions linked to the concept «tree»
N.I. Chuprikova
The study described looks into the complex semantic system of notions
relating to the concept «tree». The subjects were given a list of 14 notions
differently related to the concept «tree». The study shows that in all the
subjects (pupils of grades 7–9, university students, postgraduates) the system
in question of logical and semantic correlations is poorly developed. It has
been discovered that the content of the evolution of that complex system of
notions is universal, is not determined by age or education and can be
described in terms of the universal principles of systems development — those
of differentiation and integration.
Constructivism and
psychotherapy
P. Watzlawick
Radical constructivism is an interdisciplinary approach that became
popular in Western Europe and the USA at the end of the 20th century. The main
tenet of constructivism is the idea that the so-called objective reality is a
product of human generalization, knowledge is acquired not passively, but
through the process of active reconstruction by an individual engaged in
cognition. This is a philosophical conclusion based on factual material
obtained from a number of sciences among which psychology occupies the leading
position. Theoretical and methodological principles of radical constructivism
applied to the practice of psychology and psychiatry have enabled researchers
of the Institute for psychological research at Palo-Alto to make considerable
progress in the settling of conflicts arising both between people in everyday
life and between states, cultures and ideologies. The publication is a
translation of the article: Watzlawick P.
Wirklichkeit-sanpassung oder angapasste «Wirklichkeit»? Konstructivismus
und psychoterapie // Einführung
in den Konstructivismus. München:
Piper Verlag, 1997. S. 89–107.
Individualization in teaching
mathematics
A.V. Beloshistaya
The problem of personality oriented instruction can be solved through
individualization of the teaching process. The author suggests a method of
individualized instruction in primary school mathematics designed specifically
for children with a weak and inert nervous system and, more generally, for
children who tire easily or are easily distracted.
Problems of designing a
course of physics according to Elkonin–Davydov’s theory of developmental
education
A.V. Matveyev
The author criticizes the existing practice of teaching physics in
secondary school and analyzes the advantages of applying Elkonin– Davydov's
theory when designing a course of physics.
Onfactors affecting character
formation
V.R. Tsylyov
The paper contains empirical data on factors determining the emergence
of specific character traits and their transformation into character
accentuations.