Socio-Psychological Space of Young People with Different Levels of Subjective Well-Being

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the results of the study of the socio-psychological space of young people with different subjective well-being levels. The study sample included 253 people aged 16–24 years, Komsomolsk-on-Amur residents (Russia). To study the socio-psychological space of young people, the technique of graphic representation of vital psychological space by G. V. Shukova was used. To study life satisfaction the scales of global life satisfaction and subjective level of happiness were used. According to the study, three contrast groups were formed: with low, middle and high levels of life satisfaction. Differences between different groups were determined with the help of Fisher φ*-criterion and Mann–Whitney U-test. The results of the study show that young people distinguish communicative, educational, professional and entertaining spheres of life in socio-psychological space. Semantic zones of socio-psychological space of young people include intangible and material values. Young people with a high level of subjective well-being, unlike other groups, indicate Employment in real-life space much less. Young people with a high level of well-being point out the importance of stuffs in their real-life more often and that of Intangible Values less often than middle-level respondents. For young people with a high level of subjective well-being, compared with disadvantaged respondents, Friends is a more significant object of real socio-psychological space. In the ideal life space, young people with a high level of subjective well-being indicate Intangible Values significantly less. Young people with an average level of life satisfaction attach greater importance to Self and Girlfriend/Boyfriend in the ideal life space. Young people with a low level of subjective well-being attach importance to money in the space of an ideal life less than the others.