Sociological Techniques for Researching the Mentality of Socially Vulnerable Population Groups
The paper shows the relevance of the study resulting from lack of a unified interpretation of the term “mentality”, multiple approaches to its definition, underdeveloped methodological techniques and, in particular, lack of methodological approaches to analyzing the mentality of socially vulnerable population groups. Attention is drawn to the incomplete examination of mentality of certain social groups, the differences in the “nature” of mentality of which is one of the reasons of social stratification leading to exclusion. The paper structures the approaches to the definition of “mentality”, among them are: historical, philosophical, psychological, ethnographic, socio-cultural, socio-economic, and interdisciplinary. It also reveals both specific and common features characteristic of the term “mentality” in most definitions and reflecting its essence: way of thinking (mindset), view of life, system of values, a regulator of normative attitude to the world, behavioral pattern, belonging to a particular community on social or national grounds. Examples of the most widespread methods of population mentality research are given: a sociological survey, content analysis, psychoemantic methods, a technique for diagnosing mentality of generations. The authors have developed sociological techniques for researching the mentality of socially vulnerable population groups, including: a set of questions revealing the features of the Russian mentality, the degree of manifestation of national traits and their influence on the economic behavior of the population and helping study people’s patterns of behavior in different spheres of life; an inclusive set of questions helping carry out the individual’s identification with a socially vulnerable population group, revealing the attitude of the rest of society to this group, the need (no need) for state assistance for socially vulnerable population groups, the availability of effective mechanisms of overcoming the violation of the rights of people belonging to a socially vulnerable population group. The sociological techniques of the research are also aimed at identifying the responsibility (personal, social, public) in addressing the key issues of social support for socially vulnerable population groups. These techniques will be tested in the regions of the Northwestern Federal District in 2016, which will build a database on issues relating to mental modernization barriers, as well as assess the relevance of choosing methodological techniques.