Transformation of the Basic Value Mitleid (Compassion) in German Linguoculture

Abstract

Today, scientists from various sciences are studying the content of basic values. At the same time, scientists believe that values, being a factor consolidating society, should remain stable. The linguistic analysis used in the work indicates a rapid change in values in modern linguistic culture, which begins with a change in the emotional-evaluative component. Diagnostics of such processes is extremely relevant. The purpose of the study is to determine the psychologically relevant content of the basic value Mitleid (compassion) in German linguistic culture, as well as its dynamics. The main research method, along with the method of semantic analysis, is a free associative experiment, which is considered an effective method for determining the content of a word that represents the basic value with the same name. A free associative experiment was conducted with speakers of German linguoculture in 2023. Respondents aged 17 to 23 years old had to give the first reaction that came to mind to stimulus words nominating basic values of the same name, among which was the word Mitleid (compassion). Due to modern extralinguistic conditions, the free associative experiment was conducted in the format of Google questionnaires. During the experiment, 614 reactions were obtained. As a result of the study, it was found that a large number of conceptual reactions indicate the respondents’ understanding of this concept and indicate the assimilation of this concept and the ability to explain it. At the same time, the data obtained indicate the absence of this concept in the speech activity of individuals, as well as the dynamics of basic value, which manifests itself in negative reactions.