Abstract: The subject of this research is the agentic position with regards to health among middle-aged men and women. The author determined the structure of such position, described its common features (behavioral activity, aimed at health support understanding of need for a healthy lifestyle), features specific to men (attitude to health as a value), and features specific to women (health awareness). The goal of the article consists in examination of correlation between the agentic qualities of middle-aged men and women, determination of gender specificity of agency in the area of health. Research was conducted on 164 persons, aged 22-58 (80 men and 84 women), sampling aligned by gender, age and educational background. The method of correlation analysis allowed revealing the agentic personality traits that support active stand on health: common for men and women, such as autonomy, self-worth, creativity, assertiveness, content with life, overall internality and internality in achievements); as well as gender-specific. Women also feature internality in professional and family spheres; while men feature activity, mediacy, and internality in health sphere. Considering that the problem of human as an agent of health is at the initial stage of development, the acquired data would be useful for more profound understanding of the topic, as well as formulation of objectives for furher fundamental and applied studies.  

Keywords: gender, health behavior, agentic quality of personality, agency, agentic position to health, agentic position, value of health, health, adulthood, healthy lifestyle

Abstract: The subject of this research is the subjective picture of life path at the stage of regulatory youth crisis in the context of social anxiety. The goal consists in determination of the peculiarities of cognitive and emotional assessment of the past, present, and future as the components of subjective picture of life path of young people prone to experiencing social anxiety. The theoretical-methodological framework consists in scientific representations on human as a subject of life path, theory of life path and psychological time, scientific idea of the cognitive-perceptive selectiveness and regulation of social anxiety in the situations of assessment. The scientific novelty of the acquired results consists in the following statements: 1) it is proven that social anxiety is a predictor of the establishment of perceptions on personal past, present and future during the regulatory youth crisis; 2) the invariant tendencies in the character of cognitive and emotional assessment of the components of subjective picture of a life path in youth in case of the escalated social anxiety are determined; 3) variable description of time modus are revealed. The obtained results may be used in psychological practice for conducting psychobiographical consulting and psychological trainings of projecting a life path with young people with the chronic social anxiety and social fears.

Keywords: invariant trends, psychological future, psychological present, psychological past, regulatory crisis, adolescence, social anxiety, subjective picture of life, psychological time, variable trends

Abstract: Psychological microclimate of a family is an important factor determining health, social and work activity of family members and society overall. The following traits are characteristic for a favorable psychological climate – team spirit, opportunity for personal growth for each spouse, kindness to each other, feeling of security and emotional satisfaction, pride for being a part of their family, responsibility. The basis for favorable climate of a family is marital relations, namely such manifestations as leadership and domination. In accordance with this, the research divided the families into three groups: with traditional leadership (patriarchy), nontraditional leadership (matriarchy), and egalitarian leadership (equal partnership); and then compared the psychological climate and wellbeing of family members. Based on the acquired results, the article states that in family relations women demonstrate higher level of frustration than men do. Women desire emotional closeness, aspire to achieve understanding, experiencing anxiety, tension and guilt. The highest level of anxiety and tension is noticed in couples with patriarchy. The article suggests that subordination leads to decrease of self-confidence of women, fear to end up alone and lose support of their husbands. Inclination to the feeling of guilt manifests among women who demonstrate leadership in family relations, as well as among those who desire to avoid it.

Keywords: matriarchy, male leadership, female leadership, psychological climate, marriage leadership, family, leadership, patriarchy, egalitarian family, nervous and mental stress

Abstract: The subject of this research is the motivational and value orientation of students towards professional activity. Based on the analysis of literary sources, it was established that motivational and value orientation is an integrative dynamic system, incorporating the interconnected professional motives, interests, goals, personal attitudes that ensure the choice of profession. The article analyzes the peculiarities of motivational and value orientation of college students essential for determination of the significant cognitive motives and disaccord between such its components as personal growth, responsibility and presence of a strong desire to pursue the selected profession. In the course of research, the following set of psychodiagnostic instruments was used: original questionnaire, morphological test for life values (V. F. Sopov, L. V. Karpushin), methodology for determination of key motives of choosing profession (E. M. Pavlyutenkov), value orientations (M. Rokeach), methods of mathematical-statistical processing of the results (Spearman’s correlation analysis, Mann–Whitney parametrical method of comparison of two U-criterion samplings). Theoretical importance of this study consists in the analysis of modern conceptual approaches towards the problem of motivational and value orientation of college students towards professional activity that creates foundation for further research in this area, and solution of such problem as rejection of the acquired specialty.

Keywords: aesthetic motives, social motives, cognitive motives, motivational value orientation, value orientations, motivation for choosing a profession, professional orientation of personality, material motives, terminal values, instrumental values

Abstract: The object of this research is the psychological barriers of students from rural areas. The subject of this research is the psychological and pedagogical conditions for overcoming psychological barriers among students from rural areas. The goal consists in theoretical substantiation and experimental testing of psychological and pedagogical conditions for overcoming psychological barriers among students from rural areas during studying in university. The author attempts to identify the main types of psychological barriers common to the students from rural areas; determine the factors that impede overcoming the psychological barriers; develop and measure the impact of experimental program of psychological support of such students. The main conclusions lie in highlighting the factors that hinder overcoming psychological barriers by the students from rural areas during studying in university. In order to eliminate negative impact of the factors that inhibit overcoming psychological barriers among students, the author determined the psychological and pedagogical conditions that contribute to overcoming psychological barriers. Based on the data acquired as a result of theoretical research, was formulated and implemented the program of psychological support for the students from rural areas to help them overcome psychological barriers during studying in university. Assessment was conducted of a number of indicators among the students of control and experimental groups, prior and after the introduction of psychological support program.

Keywords: type of psychological barriers, psychological support program, university studies, psychological and pedagogical conditions, overcoming, psychological barrier, learning activity, сельский студент, student, psychological training