Structure and Functions of Mental Attitude in the Formation of the Value System of the Professional Musician

Abstract

At the modern level of the psychology development the concept of “attitude” attracts attention of scientists in the various fields. It is actively developed in the psychology, sociology and a number of other sciences; however it has been characterized by certain terminological uncertainty up to now. In the works of the domestic and foreign scientists F.V. Bassin, S.K. Bondyreva, I. Inesco, I. Solbes, W. Swami, D.N. Uznadze, D.I. Feldstein mental attitude (einstellung, bewustseinlage, attitude, etc.) is defined as the subject’s readiness, inclination, disposition to the definite activity providing the purposeful nature of its development, and implementation. The essence of the problem is that in spite of considerable number of the investigations concerning the psychology of attitude in the various kinds of activity, it remains terra incognita in many respects. Thus, its role in the context of the development of various human activities in the sphere of music, art looks underdeveloped. And the role of attitude as a bridge between the theoretical and practical activities in the consciousness of the personality of the instrumentalist musician is even more obscure. This paper is aimed at determining structure and functions of mental attitude in the formation of the professional musician’s value system. The following methods were used in the work: perception, performance of musical pieces, the creation of “projective situations” in the educational activity of the students, activity product analysis. The attitude and musical values make psychical plan for manifestation of the peculiarities of aesthetic perception of the modern young person in the sphere of music. The mechanism of action of the mental attitude develops as the readiness, disposition to perform, perceive and analyze musical and aesthetic works. Its operation is characterized by close unity of the conscious (realized) and the unconscious (subconscious). Three stages (phases) are distinguished in the attitude functioning: the subconscious, the transient phase, the conscious. Stage “switch-on” sequence of involvement may differ: both from the unconscious (“upwards”) to the conscious, and from the conscious (“downwards”) to the unconscious. The alternation of stages is determined by the certain situation, the task set out for the performer, the spectator, the listener. The totality of the established aesthetic values makes the axis of musical and aesthetic consciousness as the mentality of the person in the field of musical art. It does determine the conditions and peculiarities of the process progress of musical communication, perception and experience of music, manifested in the relevant judgments, estimates, opinions and ideals based on the mental attitude. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s1p488