Dominant Values of Family Purposefulness

The results of empirical study of the dominant values of a family purposefulness are presented. The hypothesis assumes the dynamics of semantic values of family purposefulness, depending on the individual psychological characteristics, age and gender. The sample included 102 girls and 107 boys 15–18 years old (average age 16.4 years), secondary school students; 104 women aged 21 to 64 years (average age 37.2 years) who are married and raising children. Applied the research methods: 1) modiXed version of the method of semantic diYerential (SD) in the package diagnostic techniques of psychosemantic motivation (VSD) developed by I. L. Solomin; 2) test–questionnaire of G. Eysenck; 3) the method of investigation of level of the subjective control (LSC), developed at the Research Institute named after V. M. Bechterev. The computer program calculates the SD method of average values by a factor of value concepts to the test. This allows to rank the concepts and identify the dominant values, depending on the individual psychological characteristics, age and sex of respondents. It was found that for girls and boys, who have the qualities of extraversion, stable neurotical reactions and internal locus of subjective control, dominated the real values of family life: “my family (my future family)”, “my future husband (my future wife)” and “the birth of a child”. For girls and boys, who have the qualities of introversion, high neurotical reactions and external locus of control, dominated the ideal values of a perfect mother and the perfect family. For women–extroverts it was prevailed the value about the idea of their child, as opposed to women with other individual and personal qualities, considered in this study, who prefered the emotional value of a family event – the birth of a child. Results of the study will be needed in theory and practice of family psychology on the formation and adjustment of family' social-psychological purposefulness.