Socio-psychological content and structure of consolidation of political groups (empirical model)

Abstract

The phenomenon of consolidation is studied in various fields of scientific knowledge, which is reflected in the methodological approaches to its research: sociobiological, sociological, anthropological, political, socio-psychological. Solidarity (consolidation) is interpreted as a mechanism, condition, form, level, sign/property of socio-political existence of society. In its extreme variants it can lead to totalitarianism and tyranny or it can be its sign and symptom. The article deals with group consolidation, which is manifested in local group associations of citizens. The connection between the participants in these groups and their joint activities form a resource (social capital), which can be accessed by each participant separately to receive their own benefits. The socio-psychological content of solidarity (consolidation) is reflected in the variants of its interpretation as: support and assistance to the group in solving problems or tasks which it faces; positive attitude towards one's group; coordination of actions of group members, political attitudes they share, identity; the degree of coherence of voters' positions and the depth of political identification. Taking into account the existing theoretical and methodological developments, we believe that consolidation is the process and result of reproduction of the value-oriented unity of the group on the principle of conjunction, which is integrated with socio-political motives, the image of the political future, reflexive capital, group and political identities. It was found that the most significant substantive indicators of group consolidation were: political motive of the need to establish the contact, group identity, common vision of the future of the country, values of patriotism, nationalism, monolithicity, values of individual rights and democracy.