SOCIAL IDENTITY OF CADETS – FUTURE MILITARIES

Abstract

The article presents the results of research on the social identity of cadets – future militaries. In this case, social identity is defined as the direction of individual knowledge on belonging to a particular social group that has an emotional and appraised value for an individual and his/her membership in the group. Self-concepts and values are the leading structural components of social identity. The results of the empirical study indicate that a significant group for the cadets – future militaries is not their membership group, with which they have to spend almost all their time, but an informal group where they feel free, relaxed, and supportive. The study of the Self-concept components shows a predominance of reflective Self at the most respondents. This confirms the results of the choice of informal groups as significant ones, where cadets have creative, friendly relationships that give them a sense of growth and development, or where they simply meet their personal needs. It is empirically determined that the students are more inclined to domination than subordination, which confirms the conclusion that their study group is not the significant one. Cadets – future militaries highly value the health, love, life wisdom and existence of good and loyal friends, as well as politeness, cleanliness, independence, responsibility, and firmness of will. The sample value the least the beauty of nature and art, creativity, the happiness of others, indifference to their and strangers’ negative qualities, as well as sensitivity.