Social representations of collaborators in the mass political consciousness of youth
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Abstract
Relevance of the Study. The relevance of this research stems from the insufficient examination of the psychological and socio-psychological aspects of the phenomenon of collaborationism within domestic psychological science.
Objective. This article aims to determine the specific content of social representations of collaborators within the mass political consciousness of Ukrainian youth.
Methods and Methodology. An online survey (September 2024) involved 449 students (aged 17 to 35; 83% female and 17% male) from various regions of Ukraine, including the North, Center, West, East, and South. The participants received a custom-designed questionnaire with a set of closed-ended questions. A frequency analysis of the results was carried out across two groups of students: those who were unfamiliar with individuals who had become collaborators and those who were familiar with individuals who had become collaborators.
Main Results and Conclusions. The social representations of collaborationism and collaborators in the mass political consciousness of youth are primarily stereotypical. The prevalence of this phenomenon they see as moderate. Most collaborators are perceived as adults who previously held official positions in local government or were unemployed. Within the mass consciousness of youth, several different archetypes or “types” of collaborators emerge pragmatically-oriented individuals (motivated by financial gain and/or personal status elevation) and ideologically-driven ones (supporters of the “Russian World"); “volunteers” (who should be exchanged for our prisoners of war) and “forced collaborators” (whose actions should be judged and punished on a case-by-case basis). Moreover, some social representations of collaborators are influenced by personal experience (such as knowing such individuals), which affects the perception of the prevalence of collaborationism and collaborators’ socio-demographic and motivational characteristics.
Prospects for Further Research. Future research should focus on studying the perceptions of collaboration and collaborators among residents of temporarily occupied and liberated territories of Ukraine, which will aid in more effectively planning and implementing the reintegration policies for these regions.
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References
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