Meaning determinants of personality's temporal perspective

The article attempts to relate the parameters of the meaningfulness of life and components using temporal perspectiveby means of surveys (test of life meaning orientations adapted by D.A. Leontev, method of determining the temporal perspective ofpersonality by F. Zimbardo in adaptation of A. Syrtsova, E.T. Sokolova, O.V. Mitina) of respondents of the period of early and middleadulthood. It was found that in groups differing by the degree of meaningfulness of life in general and in the individual time loci, thereare no differences in the parameter "hedonistic present," while the index of "fatalistic present" significantly decreased with the increaseof the comprehension level. Besides, the level of meaningfulness of life defines the relation of the personality to the negative pastexperience and influences the formation of attitudes in the future. On the basis of quantitative prevalence in a sample respondents withhigh indicators of life meaningfulness and in the context of results of researches described in psychological literature an assumption ismade that the high rate of meaningfulness of life itself may be a result of consecutive and conscious work of the personality in theprocess of harmonization of the relations with the world and self-identity establishment at all segments of a temporary continuum, a kindof protective reaction of consciousness to special conditions and situations, in which the personality appears at the moment of thepresent. Data testifying the high degree of understanding of occurring events of life and greater focus on the future of respondentsconvicted to long-term and lifelong imprisonment are provided. A hypothesis of the compensatory nature of the "objectively positive"picture of parameters of life meaning orientation of prisoners is made. On the basis of clustering division of a group of persons with highindicators of intelligence into two subgroups is carried out, in each of which the structure of interrelations between parameters oftemporary prospect and indicators of meaningfulness of life is defined by means of the factorial analysis. The results of the comparativeanalysis of the received factorial structures allow suggesting the probability of existence of various strategies of life understandingamong respondents with high indicators by a life meaning orientation technique. Generalization of results of research allows drawing thefollowing conclusions: Indicators of temporal perspective of the personality are connected with parameters of intelligence of life andpsychological well-being, but to see these connections the data of measured values (degree of comprehension) and phenomenologicaldata are required - intentionality and response of understanding by the person of life experience. The level of meaningfulness of life isclosely connected with the individual limit of time representation, with the idea of fatalism, predetermination of the present; it affectsthe attitude of the individual to their negative past experience and forms a strategy for attitude to the future. A group of individuals withhigh levels of life meaningfulness and psychological well-being selected on the basis of the results of studies using the test methods mayhave a complex "internal" differentiation depending on the strategy of personal building of life perspective.

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