Polyushkevich, O. A., Stepanenko, A. S. Transformation of Russian Values: Heroes and Average Men

Abstract: The article is devoted to the role of societal symbols threading through the entire society and uniting it as one symbolic structure. Social values play a special role in societal space of the country. The article contains an analysis of the research of focus groups. The results of this research illustrate transformation of values lying at the root of the Russian society. Transformation of symbolic images of heroes and average men in Russian social conscience is studied as an example (based on fairy tale and real images in history and literature). Images of heroes and anti-heroes are analyzed from the point of view of affective (emotional), cognitive (perceptive) and motivational elements of the Russian social conscience. The author also compares and analyzes societal images of heroes and anti-heroes in different generations and evidently shows how changes in socio-political, cultural and economic environment inß uenced the transformation of the images of hero and average man. The results of this research can be used by the state authorities, social services, scientific and educational establishments in our country.

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