Mapping the homogeneity of group prototypes in categorical systems of social consciousness

Introduction. The approach to defining social consciousness as a factor of views, senses, and attitudes has been gaining importance in recent years. Despite the cognitive potential of the phenomenon of group “unanimity” as a homologous force of behavior, social psychology doesn't take into account categorical associations and categorical constructs functioning in the subconscious of the group when studying group consciousness. The novelty of the study lies in mapping associative fields of social consciousness of ethnic groups for revealing categorical codes – prototypes (stereotypes) and innovations of the Volga region peoples' religious consciousness. Theoretical Basis. The association experiment method is relevant for studying social cognition of groups. The associative content of the categories included in the stable structural schemes of subconsciousness (ethnicity, religiosity, nationality, generational affiliation, gender, class affiliation, party membership, professional affiliation, cosmopolitanism, etc.) specifies the general ways of a person's pre-reflective self-understanding and his/her worldview; this enables methodological differentiating and structuring. Results. The free association experiment carried out in four regions made it possible to apply the method of cognitive mapping. Discussion. The paper analyzes the associative verbal nets of the group genesis of the Volga region ethno-religious groups, as well as the semantics of frequency prototypes. Mapping rests on calculating indices of rigidity, homogeneity, dissipativity, orientation and prognostic probability of base categories. In conclusion: it is evident that everyday verbal contact, instead of the Church's canon, forms the categorical code of group religious consciousness. Hence, religious consciousness of the group is not an integral structure, but a complex of atomizing fragments of everyday pseudo-religion.