Frustration and deprivation in ecology and in people’s life

Abstract

The article analyses the significance of human frustration and deprivation caused by life conditions or ecological frustration/deprivation. Ecological frustration means deprivation of access to some objects of the environment, more precisely, human environment. Ecological deprivation means formation of a psychological view of an individual (social group) on unfair deprivation of benefits due to it, those connected with the use of environmental resources. The article presents a classification of types of ecological frustration and deprivation. The structure of any frustration and deprivation is based on subjects and objects thereof, and its characteristics are intensity, localisation and spread. The subject of frustration (deprivation) is a person or a group of persons – bearers of the given psychological phenomenon (individual, group or mass mentality); the object thereof is an element of the environment which, in case of its inaccessibility, causes frustration or deprivation. The intensity of these phenomena is measured as an indicator of integral manifestation of their subjects’ response. The localisation of both frustration and deprivation is determined by the composition of the affected societal groups, and their spread – by the proportion of these people in such group or in the society as a whole. Frustration and deprivation of life conditions represent critical factors in shaping environmental attitudes. For most people, poor environment is not a result of analysis of a set of physico-chemical and biological indicators. It is a perception of environmental reality formed under the influence of various frustration and deprivation feelings. Monitoring the processes of formation and spread of such phenomena in the society and analysing the results thereof can prevent numerous socio-ecological conflicts. Frustration and deprivation of life conditions that are prevalent in the society should be taken into account when developing environmental education and training programmes.