Using the method of free associations when studying the relationship of society to the homeless family

Abstract

The increase in the number of childless couples in Kazakhstan is an urgent problem. The World Health Organization calls the number of childless people in the country for medical reasons a «state issue», as it negatively affects demographic indicators. If earlier the main cause of infertility was considered female infertility, today, according to experts, the occurrence of such cases is directly related to the increase in the number of male infertility. In this context, it is important to study the attitude of society towards a childless family. The article discusses the use of the method of free association in the study of the attitude of society to a childless family. The purpose of the study: to analyze the opinions of Kazakhstanis (positive/negative/ neutral) in families without children and society’s perceptions of the concepts of «large family», «childless family», «childfree», «men’s health» «women’s health» when studying society’s attitude to childless families through associative experience with the definition of the relevant characteristics of associations based on the study is. The significance of the research work is that for the first time in sociology, the study of the at- titude of society to a childless family using the method of associative experience.  The main results of the research work: as a result of associative experimental research in society, the social idea of «childless family», «childfree» is associated with poor health quality, negative emo- tions, feelings and states in people’s minds; the social idea of «large family» is determined in everyday consciousness by positive emotions, feelings and states, the possibilities of a large family; increased the concepts of happiness in the family, «men’s health», «women’s health» are directly related to the con- cepts of having children. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the use of associative experience in the study of the qualitative diversity of social meanings and social problems, as well as for the analysis of associations, the prototypical analysis of P. Verges was used. The analysis of prototypes in sociological research makes it possible to identify the structure of the content of social ideas, in par- ticular, the ways of dividing value systems into groups in the mode of their application. Key words: childless family, infertility, men’s health, free associative experience, stimulating words, public opinion, assisted reproductive technologies.