How would you describe the present social psychology of Ukrainian society?
Olena DONCHENKO, Ph.D. in sociology, head of the Psychology of Individuals and Organizations Laboratory, Institute of Social and Political Psychology, Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine:
In my view, there is no society as such in Ukraine, there are only isolated groups of individuals having absolutely different interests, for example, the political elite, groups oriented toward politics, rural population, intelligentsia, and young people.
Contemporary young people are very different. The most energetic, albeit disillusioned, part of it willingly sides with the opposition, showing zeal, enthusiasm, high fighting spirit, and a desire for change. Others, certainly the majority, wait quietly for whatever will be and attending to their studies. Thus we see very different positions among the young.
The rural population, barely scraping by on their meager incomes, dreams of returning to socialism, while businesspeople are trying to figure out what political force they should bet on. There’s some tension today but only in the political area, encompassing politicians, the party elite, and politically oriented groups.
The majority of the population, without access to information (especially in the provinces) and no income or future, are apathetic. It is prone to spontaneous stereotypes, like no good is going to happen, people cannot change anything, and one has to concentrate on earning one’s daily bread.
The current political situation has resulted in a rift between the political and institutional elite, on the one hand, and the authorities and ordinary people, on the other. This is negative. The positive results include the disappearance from the social consciousness of the idea of the Center (Moscow —Ed. ), something the totalitarian regime took great pains to inculcate. This has been destroyed. There is the capital but no political center as such. A people in expectation of some kind of center, leader, or something does have a demonstratively positive potential.
Iryna HOLOVNEVA, candidate of sciences in psychology, Kharkiv’s Narodna Ukrayinska Akademiya Liberal Arts University:
Society comprises differing groups of individuals. Many are in a state of social apathy. Current events in Kyiv or Lviv leave them completely unaffected; they happen somewhere away from them, although they are covered by the mass media. This group encompasses about 60% of the population. Naturally, there are also those who are becoming increasingly involved in politics. But I cannot see any productive thrust or emotions, aimed at constructing anything new or positive. To a large extent, aggressive and destructive, not constructive, emotions prevail, and this is the main problem.
It is difficult to comment on the current climate in terms of social psychology throughout Ukraine; there are very great differences among the social groups within which this climate is really created. The social psychological climate depends upon both external objective factors and the psychological specifics of those who belong to such groups. While the external factors (political events, economic hardships, or environmental problems) are common to all of us, they impact the minds of individuals differently. I do not think that the overall social and psychological environment in Ukraine is determined by political events.
The positive or negative feelings of most Ukrainians and their psychological frame of mind are rooted in what is going on in their personal lives and immediate surrounding. Abraham Maslow, the world famous psychologist, proposed a multilevel classification of human needs. The first level of his pyramid includes the physiological needs vital for anyone, the second deals with security needs, and the third including the needs for social intercourse, love, attachment, high self-esteem, respect, self-expression, professional prestige, and realization of one’s potential. Most people work step by step to meet their needs, with food, abode and security coming first and only then come loftier matters. Given their living standards, Ukrainians are more concerned with satisfying their subsistence needs, which consequently play a major role in shaping their psychological frame of mind.
Oleksandr PLIUSHCH, candidate of sciences in psychology, Senior Research Associate, Institute of Social and Political Psychology, Ukrainian Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine:
Today everyone seems to be preoccupied with his/her own problems, with the so-called opposition declaring that the final truth is theirs and the real opposition is they, not the Communists, while the Communists do not recognize the Right opposition. It looks like a war of all against all. The Day carried an article saying that we have opposition actions but no opposition as such. This is perfectly correct.
The situation we are now witnessing is initiated artificially. As soon as the money runs out, these actions will end.
Meanwhile, negative potential keeps piling up and our society is gathering ballast, which could sink it, despite the fact that superficially the situation is under control and nothing extraordinary is likely to happen, given that we have been spared upheavals.
People understand that very little depends upon them, unlike the Ukrainian elite, and the level of professionalism shown by its representatives calls forth mass skepticism.
Today the people put up with it. Tolerance is accumulating, but this is not constructive tolerance shown in the name of a higher goal. Such a situation breeds potential that is not constructive. People are beginning just throw up their hands, and doing anything constructive will be very hard.
