COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT OF EXPERIENCE IN DIFFERENT PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACHES

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of the article was analysis of the experience concept in native and foreign approaches. Therefore, the article examined the main approaches for “experience” concept. The article also reveals the particularities of understanding of experience by native speakers of different languages and, in addition, highlights the influence of cultural-historical approach for studying of experience in English science.

Methods. A descriptive method was used to study the concept of experience for research purposes. Furthermore, methods of analysis, synthesis and comparison were used to examine differences in understanding of experiences of various psychological approaches such as foreign and native psychological tradition.

Results. The study revealed the problem of translation of the term “experience”, which affects the understanding of this phenomenon by foreign and native researchers. The advantages and disadvantages of translation and transliteration of the term to English are considered. At the same time, it is emphasized that the interest of foreign researchers in the experience is growing. Also, L.S. Vygotsky’s views on the experience were highlighted, and it was found that they largely resonate with the views of M. Csikszentmihalyi. Both researchers have focused on the function of organizing the information in consciousness, its selectivity and experience formation through experience. The phenomenon of optimal experience and its elements are described. The significance of the concepts of mental entropy and mental negentropy is considered. An assumption of the possibility of organizing the process of experience optimization of subject is stated.

Conclusions. The article proposes to pay attention to the modern approaches for experience studying and its optimization. The role of the lexical meaning of the term “experience” for its study is summarized. Prospects for the study of experience in connection with the concept of awareness are outlined. The exchange of ideas on the experience research between various psychological approaches may be able to help in solving methodological and practical issues of psychology.