Reading of today Russian adolescents in the context of digital reality

Abstract

Reading of literature is important type of activity contributed to the formation of identity and worldview. Reading for teenagers has become an optional activity, perceived as the leisure, preference is given to watching TV, computer games, social networks and etс. These changes are principally related to the processes taking place in modern society, including the increasing representation of digital technologies in the life of adolescents. Psychological study showed that in the structure of reading motivation of today adolescents can be distinguished: benefit motive, entertainment motive, escapism motive, personal motive, compulsion motive, social motive. At the same time, more than a third of adolescents do not have any formed reading motivation, and prevail motives for reading are external motives: benefit motives, entertainment and compulsion motives. The age dynamic and gender differences can be traced. Sociological surveys show that the reading circle of adolescents consists of printed and electronic books and periodicals. The proportions change towards the preference for electronic reading. Despite the fact that the Internet has increased the intensity of teenagers reading, they read not only e-books, but also news, encyclopedias, humorous sites, publications about celebrities and music portals. Thus, digitalization increases the volume of reading, but decreases its quality.