DIMENSIONS OF ETHNIC TOLERANCE OF UKRAINIAN STUDENT YOUTH

Abstract

Purpose. The article considers the dimensions of ethnic tolerance of Ukrainian student youth. Methods. To collect data on the peculiarities of ethnic tolerance of student youth, we used the questionnaire “Types of ethnic identity” (by G.U. Soldatova, S.V. Ryzhova). The study involved I–II year students of three universities in the southern region of Ukraine: Odesa I.I. Mechnikov National University (59 people), Kherson State University (38 people) and Kherson Institute of the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management (19 people). All respondents received higher education in the humanities, which led to a quantitative advantage of girls in the sample. Age of subjects – from 16 to 20 years (mean age 18,12±0,86). A characteristic difference of the sample is the ethnolinguistic aspect – although all respondents are citizens of Ukraine, the vast majority of respondents use Russian in everyday communication. Results. An empirical study of ethnic tolerance of Ukrainian students found that the leading type of ethnic identity of the studied student sample was a positive ethnic identity, the optimal balance of tolerance towards their own and other ethnic groups – this figure prevails in 76,7% of respondents. Among them, 28,4% have a positive ethnic identity complemented by pronounced manifestations of ethnic indifference, which is manifested in the irrelevance of their own ethnicity. Conclusions. The dominance of hypoidentity or hyperidentity (in the form of ethno-fanaticism and ethnoegoism) occurs in 10–13% of students, which is a low figure, but it should not be ignored, these cases require close attention of researchers. Prospects for further research are to identify psychological mechanisms for the formation of cognitive attitudes, emotional experiences, a component of the national identity of the Ukrainian people of different generations.