Psychology and sociology/13 .

Modern technologies of sociological polls

PhD in Sociology, assistant professor A. I. P'yanov

The North-Caucasian state technical university, Russia

Sociological poll as a method of measurement of changes in the ratio family and extrafamily valuable orientations

In modern conditions questions of institutional changes of a family, the contradictions caused by their character and a negative orientation, get a special urgency. Being one of the sharpest social problems, it demands the permission. It puts challenges not only before social practice, but also before a sociological science.

Global character of family changes and their influence on social and economic and other processes in a society is connected, first, by that inefficient performance by social institute of a family of the specific functions on a birth and socialisation of children was widely adopted in modernist style and postmodern societies. Secondly, at distinction of concrete forms of institutional changes of a family, the same phenomenon, namely discrepancy of character and dynamics of functioning of institute of a family to requirements and the purposes of social and economic development of these societies everywhere is observed. Thirdly, falling of an intermediary role of institute of a family aggravates the basic contradiction of a modern epoch – the contradiction between the person and a society. It is one of the radical reasons разбалансированности the world, concealing in itself threat of social disasters.

As the Russian society enduring the transitive period of the development, is deprived the certain internal stabilizers counteracting crisis of integrity and social identity, careful studying of structure and dynamics of values of Russians » [4, p. 4] and, in particular, dynamics of the values concerning family sphere. It is connected by that the family is primary socio-forming institute of society. It provides its existential continuity through the mechanism of biological reproduction of a kind «homo sapiens» and translations of social experience and culture to the future generations. Thereby, the family represents itself as the fundamental stabilizer, keeping society in a steady condition. Being the cumulative subject of social activity, the family serves original attractor modern social development.

In a context of a problem considered by us institutional changes of a family are connected, first of all, from it социокультурным by the maintenance. A social and cultural foreshortening of consideration of such social institute as the family focuses attention on the analysis of character of changes of the valuable orientations concerning family sphere. It allows to define not only cash of attractors of social and cultural development of the society keeping it from self-damage, but also to reveal, whether there is it in a direction favorable of social and cultural modernisation.

Under influence of transform processes in a society the modern person (especially in an area of a Christian civilisation) in the increasing degree becomes the person, incapable to endow for the sake of any social a generality to put the general interests above the private. In these conditions the family represents relative, but not the absolute purpose of the individual. «The absolute purpose of the nature of the modern person consists in becoming the person» [6, p. 47]. In social life obvious there is an influence on a family of such characteristic tendencies of the present, as individualistic orientations in a society, multi-variant approach of a free subjective choice, socio-cultural pluralism and others which define character of the current trends of development of institute of a family, family and society relations. In public consciousness the understanding of gradually starts to be lost that the society will exist and prosper only under condition of well-being and success of a family.

The reasons of unfortunate trends of development of a family as social institute of a society consist not in separate, sometimes, maybe, significant and important material and other living conditions, and that has changed (and besides considerably) a way of life of people in the most essential lines modern civilisation. Decrease in value of a family way of life leads to a wide circulation among the population of various extrafamily ways of self-realisation of the person in all spheres of ability to live of a society.

Consequence of this process is decrease in a birth of children, destruction of marriage relations, increase of level of divorces, serious problems in the field of education of children, the increase in a share of lonely people and etc. all appears. Today crisis of the family as social and cultural value of a human civilisation more strongly. The essence of this crisis consists in contradiction deepening between family and extrafamily values of the person.

Research of a parity of family and extrafamily valuable orientations is impossible without presence of corresponding sociological methods. These methods are a necessary condition for studying of position of institute of a family in a modern society and search of ways of its strengthening, in particular, by means of actualization by a society of value of a family way of life.

The most widespread method of sociological research is poll. Its advantage, unlike other methods, consists that it is convenient for using in mass sociological researches on enough big samples. Use of a method of poll for the purpose of finding-out of the most widespread family and extrafamily valuable orientations no means always happens successful. The statement members of a family of original opinion on this or that question is interfered, in particular, by uncontrollable influence of the interviewer on perception, understanding of a question the respondent. In turn, the respondent also can involuntarily influence the researcher therefore the probability of inexact or wrong interpretation of answers of the interrogated raises. Many respondents also tend to declare socially approved valuable orientations (family or extrafamily), thus some interrogated at the moment of poll do not have accurate representation that for them is really main in life. Therefore its application appears the most effective in a combination to other projective technicians of this method.

Use of a method of stories of the life, being one of versions of a method of poll, allows the scientist to reveal the factors which have influenced formation of those or other valuable orientations of the individual, to learn about those «significant others» which have played an important role his lives.

The method of «semantic differential» (SD), created in 1952 the American social psychologist Charles Osgood, long enough time is applied to measurement of valuable orientations, including family and extrafamily. Technics SD directed on finding-out of degree of distinction in an estimation of certain objects by one person or a group of persons, according to known Russian sociologist A. Antonov, involves «with the ability to remove self-checking I, to neutralise activization of protective motivation of the person, arising at any poll» [1, p. 265]. Essentially raises efficiency of use of method SD at studying of the relation of respondents to family and extrafamily values comparison of offered values with each other with application of a considerable quantity of scales, and also estimation on the same scales of «distracting» concepts and objects. To define, what of vital values are preferred by examinees, with such concepts, as «business of all my life», «the most important comparison of considered values helps with my life», «sense of my life», «the most insignificant (insignificant) in my life». Application of similar procedure will help to find out, what values are the most significant for respondents.

The method of designing of images opens new possibilities of studying of family and extrafamily valuable orientations. The associative perception and expression by respondents of various aspects of home life, professional and any other activity helps the researcher to receive the bright, sated images of the given phenomena, precisely to define, how, negatively or positively, they influence the concrete person. A lack of a method of designing of images is the certain probability of inclusion in consciousness of respondents of protective mechanisms and attempts to be limited to the statement of socially approved opinions about the interesting sociologist objects. Also use of the given method assumes presence at participants of poll of well developed associative thinking whom potential respondents possess not all.

All these methods allow modifying the received answers to questions of the questionnaire or interview, having studied the information received in the various ways.

Thus, the analysis of a sociological method of measurement of family and extrafamily valuable orientations what poll is, shows that at research carrying out on the given subjects it is necessary to combine some versions of this method. It considerably will raise probability of neutralization of action of various protective mechanisms and, hence, will give possibility to scientists to consider all aspects of valuable orientations of the respondent, to reveal an orientation of the person, to find out factors under which influence its system of values is formed, and also to receive the fullest, exact information on preference the individual of family or extrafamily valuable orientations.

In domestic sociology the fullest and substantial analysis of a parity of family and extrafamily valuable orientations in structure of the person of inhabitants of Russia received by means of a method of poll, has been presented in N. Markovskaya's work [5]. In foreign sociology it is necessary to specify in the American sociologist Arlie Hochschild which is the author of basic research on a problem of a wide circulation of extrafamily valuable orientations among modern Americans [3].

In Markovskaya and Hochschild's researches actively used poll method. In the first case the preference was given to the formalized interview, in the second – not formalized. Besides questioning, Hochschild also has applied a method of deep interview. Use of this technique have allowed Hochschild to plunge into atmosphere of ability to live of the American family that promoted definition of degree of influence of intrafamily interaction, personal life experience of modern Americans and the surrounding social environment on formation at them family and extrafamily valuable orientations.

In turn, application Markovskaya a method of designing of images has allowed to track, first, dynamics of a parity of family and extrafamily valuable orientations of representatives of three generations, and, secondly, to allocate bright associative images of the family which analysis has revealed features of family mutual relations of respondents, and also the factors influencing formation at them of family and extrafamily valuable orientations.

In researches N. Markovskaya and A. Hochschild are allocated orientations to professional work and to achievement of the high social status as the most widespread extrafamily valuable orientations. In the modern world there is a crisis of human mutual relations, including relations between near relations. More and more deep penetration of individualistic values into sphere of family interactions, and also deficiency of «family time», result to that the family ceases to carry out function of «a psychological refuge», character of mutual relations between its members becomes more and more strained.

On the basis of the analysis of some works of domestic authors (the note see) we had been undertook attempt of revealing of the factors influencing formation of family and extrafamily valuable orientations in structure of the person. Among them on the first place there is an educational level: the above an educational level of respondents, the большее extrafamily valuable orientations have distribution among them. The important factor is the quantity of children in a parental family. For children who have grown in amicable large families, transcendental «I» of an egocentrism am less significant, than for children from modern families with small quantity of children. It is connected with presence at the first strong orientation to satisfaction of needs of surrounding people, first of all relatives. Probably, for this reason natives of large families are more inclined to give a priority to the family valuable orientations which successful realisation also depends on ability of the person to subordinate own interests to interests of other people. The told allows to assume that such phenomena as urbanization, a small quantity of children, prestige of higher education will be and to promote further to the statement of extrafamily valuable orientations in socially-psychological structure of the person of individuals.

Certain influence on formation of family orientations at youth renders also character of interpersonal relations of their parents. It is known that now Russia is high on the list in the world on level divorces. Therefore it is possible to assert that the number of disputed families, the next years will not decrease, and, probably, even will increase that can lead even more to a wide circulation of extrafamily valuable orientations among the Russian youth.

The growing number of people tries to fill in all possible ways existing existential vacuum, to suppress in itself sensation of aimlessness of own life which arises, in particular, and because of washing out of values of a family way of life. One of such ways - so-called «career races», aspiration, by all means, to raise the social status and material well-being level. The professional super involvement in that case is not the necessity dictated by self-realisation of the person in this field of activity. The individual for whom professional work is only way of social (is prestigious-status) self-affirmation, refuses to search for the real destination that, under the statement of visible social psychologists, in particular, Abraham Maslow, is treachery in relation to itself.

However societies of a modernist style and especially a postmodern do not promote comprehension by individuals of necessity of self-actualization and aspiration to it as economically and ideologically inspire egoistical requirements of the person. The culture and social institutes of the given societies «are based on hedonistically the perverted concept of human nature, and an essence of the main positions underlying education of children, official formation, relations the employer-worker and even leading religious faiths consists that the person is no more, than narcissusally an animal» [2, p. 521]. The preference the majority of our contemporaries of extrafamily valuable orientations often testifies to aspiration of individuals to satisfy, first of all, own egoistical requirements or the requirements imposed by it mass-media.

But, despite all depth and scale observable economic, political and социокультурных transformations, more and more the changing person and a society, gender roles, family relations and substantial filling of a family, it «remains a place of the deepest and significant human communications, a place of its most long-term hopes» [7, p. 221]. At the individual the requirement for intimacy, for dialogue with people loving it, in its acceptance «significant others», that is that it can receive in a family if interaction of its members is deprived signs aloof a matrimony and parentship remains. If it is not present in a family, the individual begins the requirement for objects replacing family value feels. The problem of occurrence of the given requirement, and also ways of its satisfaction practically are not studied by a modern sociological science. There is a considerable quantity of similar objects, but main among them – the Internet which has rather recently entered into our life. Created by «The World network» the virtual reality, replaces to the individual a social reality of its valid life, first of all family (group) and public.

In a final part of our article it is represented the generalized results of two sociological polls spent by the author personally or at its participation in 2010 and in 2011. Definition of the most widespread among townsmen of Stavropol of valuable orientations was the purpose of the first research. In total 200 persons which set has been allocated by a method of casual sample have been interrogated. The list of values which they should range on importance degree (thus interrogated has been offered respondents could name and any other values which have been not specified in the list). The analysis of questionnaires has shown that the family remains verbally approved value. Thus, however, it has been established that the considerable number (68 %) respondents considers as the most significant self-realisation in professional work sphere.

Results of this poll have confirmed the first of the hypotheses put forward by us: «valuable orientations to a family with several children, a family way of life, родительство become less significant, than valuable orientations to professional work and status characteristics». From all sample of 32 % of the respondents having minor children, has been focused on professional work continuation even in case of achievement of high level of material well-being. Possibly, it is possible to explain it occurrence of certain difficulties in the course of the maintenance and education of children as necessity of execution of parental duties, complicates, does more intense home life against which extrafamily activity is represented more predicted and grasping.

In 2011 the chair of sociology and social work of the North Caucasian state technical university had been spent questionnaire of families with children in Stavropol and a number of other cities of Stavropol Territory (the head of research – A. P'yanov). Sample has made 1200 persons and has been presented by respondents man's and female families from different types.

The analyses of the received data testify that the revealed orientations to ideal, desirable and expected number of children are directly proportional to degree orientation respondents on a family. On all sizes of offered numbers of children of group interrogated with strong orientation to a family give great values (on the average to 72 %), than groups with less strong family orientations. In this connection it is possible to assume that orientations to a family, to family values include as well stronger orientation to a birth of several children.

Other hypothesis put forward by us – «successful combination of professional work and home life becomes more and more inconvenient» – also has been confirmed by results of poll spent by us. More often the given difficulties are tested by the married working women having children. It is connected with non-uniform distribution of homework and work on education of children and care of them between parents, and also with character of professional work of the woman. The quantity of married men which have declared that they are absolutely satisfied by home life and professional work combination, in 2 times has exceeded quantity of the married women who have answered a question in the same way. Among the women who have chosen a variant of the answer «completely it is satisfied», the number of having minor children has appeared in 2 times of less number of not having children of such age. Parents, and, first of all, women, are overloaded by cares of children and homework that directly influences their satisfaction professional work and home life combination. It proves to be true that fact, what among participants of poll who have chosen an answer variant «completely is satisfied», it has most of all appeared those who on a question «In what degree you are satisfied by the influence on distribution of house work?» – have chosen a variant «is absolutely satisfied». The same who has not been satisfied by own influence on distribution of house work, as a rule, also were not happy with home life and professional work combination.

Material welfare as paramount value was noted only by 6,5 % interrogated. This fifth place among the most significant for respondents of values. The first place has been given «family» – 37 % interrogated; the second – to «health» (23 %); «children» have taken only the third place – 18 %. On the second and third place the family was put accordingly by 9,5 % and 15,5 %. As a whole, almost third of respondents considers aspiration to achievement of material well-being as one of the major vital purposes. However results of research have not confirmed the hypothesis put forward by us that «valuable orientation to material welfare is one of the most widespread valuable orientations».

The analysis of results of poll of 2011, has shown that the majority of respondents focused on a family with several children, family values, choose social and existential values is much more often. The respondents less focused on family values, preferred «values of material welfare» and «to the power over other people» is more often. Thus, there is a probability of that valuable orientations to «material welfare» achievement are more characteristic for respondents with weaker orientation to family values.

References:

1. Antonov A. I. Microsociology of a family (methodology of research of structures and processes). – Moscow: «NOTA BENE», 1998. – 360 pp.

2. Hjelle L. A, Ziegler D. J. Personality Theories: Basic Assumptions, Research, and Applications. – New York: «McGraw-Hill», 1976. – 608 pp.

3. Hochschild A. R. The Time Bind: when work becomes home and home becomes work. – New York: «Paperback», 1997. – 336 pp

4. Lapin N. I. Values as components sociocultural evolutions of modern Russia // Sociological researches – 1994. – N 5. – P. 3 – 8.

5. Markovskaya N. G. Family place in system of valuable orientations of the person: the dissertation on competition of a scientific degree of the PhD in Sociology. – Moscow, 1990. – 245 pp.

6. Meneghetti A. The Woman of the third millennium. – Moscow, 2003. – 256 pp.

7. Mouffe Ch. Feminism, citizenship and the radical democratic policy // Introduction in gender researches: The collection of materials. – S-Petersburg: «Aleteja», 2001. – P. 214 – 234.

The note.

The factors, family formation family and extrafamily valuable orientations in structure of the person were investigated in works of following Russian sociologists and psychologists: Savinov L. I. Social and cultural determination of family values: the dissertation on competition of a scientific degree of the Dr. of Sociology. – M., 1995; Volzhina O. I. A family as social and cultural value of a modern Russian society: the dissertation on competition of a scientific degree Dr. of Sociology. – M., 2002; Moskvicheva N. V. About system of values of a modern family: the dissertation on competition of a scientific degree of the PhD in Psychology. – S.-Pb., 2000, etc.