Sergey I. Balyaev1, Zhanna G. Garanina2, Sergey N. Nikishov3, Irina S. Nikishova4

1, 2, 3, 4 National Research Ogarev Mordovia State University (Saransk, Russia)

1 e-mail: balyaevsi@mail.ru

2 e-mail: garanina23@mail.ru

3 e-mail: serg-n79@yandex.ru

4 e-mail: isosipova@yandex.ru

 

Construction of a Theoretical Model of the Development of Ethnic Identity in Adolescents and Young People

 

Abstract

Introduction. The problem of strengthening national self-awareness among the younger and younger generations is currently becoming more relevant than ever. Young people, their thoughts and beliefs are the basis of any culture and ethnic group. A feeling of deep commitment to one’s people does not manifest itself on its own; in order to form love for the homeland in the younger generation, it is necessary to have a good understanding of the patterns and mechanisms of formation of ethnic identity in the age context.

Materials and Methods. The main method of this study is a theoretical analysis of the existing approaches to the problem of development of ethnic identity. The generalization of the accumulated empirical experience of studying the patterns of the process of formation of ethnic identity in domestic and foreign ethnopsychology also comes to the forefront of our attention.

Results. Ethnic identity as a social-perceptual phenomenon in the consciousness of an individual and a group is the result of the cognitive-emotional identification of the subject with the ethnic community. Assigning oneself to an ethnic group is formed as a result of a feeling of subjective closeness with the people, its culture. The development of positive ethnic identity in young people is ensured by a set of psychological and pedagogical conditions: development of motivation to study ethnopsychological problems; awareness of the importance of ethnopsychological knowledge and personal meaning in their acquisition; formation of ethnic tolerance as a positive attitude towards one’s own and other ethnic groups; formation of behavioral strategies of an individual as a representative of an ethnic group; assimilation of the system of ethnocultural knowledge about one’s ethnic group. The model of development of ethnic identity and ethnic attitudes in young people assumes three levels of functioning: high, medium and low. The theoretical model of development of ethnic identity and ethnic attitudes in young people and its practical continuation in the form of a psychological and pedagogical program and a list of practical recommendations assume taking into account the accumulated experience of various psychological approaches, methods, techniques and methods that exist today. In contrast to the traditional three-component structure of ethnic identity and ethnic attitudes, the model of development of ethnopsychological phenomena in young people that we have developed includes a fourth component – reflexive, which involves awareness, critical understanding of the ethnic “I”, all changes occurring with the individual in the cognitive, emotional and behavioral context.

Discussion and Conclusion. The theoretical model of development of ethnic identity and ethnic attitudes in young people that we have proposed in this study is represented by a system of interrelated components: cognitive, emotional-evaluative, reflexive and behavioral. The main goal of development of ethnic identity and ethnic attitudes in young people is to increase the level of expression of components of positive ethnic identity, reduce ethnic indifference and ethnonihilism, prevent the development of ethnic self-perception according to the hyperidentical scenario, and ensure the growth of ethno-affiliative attitudes towards their ethnic group. The mechanism for developing positive ethnic self-perception in young people is the modeling of situations of interethnic interaction created in the context of group work and teaching practical methods of value-based attitudes towards their ethnic group, as well as optimal methods of constructive ethnic contact behavior.

Keywords: ethnic identity, model, youth, teenagers, ethnic indifference, ethnonihilism.

Acknowledgments: The article was prepared with the financial support of the Svetoslav Foundation for Russian Civilization as part of the scientific project No. 2/2023 on the topic “The development of ethnic identity and ethnic attitudes among Russian youth”.

For citation: Balyaev S. I., Garanina Zh. G., Nikishov S. N., Nikishova I. S. Construction of a Theoretical Model of the Development of Ethnic Identity in Adolescents and Young People. Gumanitarian: aktual’nye problemy gumanitarnoi nauki i obrazovaniia = Russian Journal of the Humanities. 2025; 25(1): 63–77. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24412/2078-9823.069.025.202501.063-077.

 

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