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The aim of the presented study was to identify so called “mute” elements of social representations of the body. The sample consisted of representatives of the BDSM subculture at the age of 19 to 54 years (N=77 people, 40% women). The free association technique was used in order to reveal the social representations of the body. The obtained results indicate that the body (in groups of males and females) is represented through the antimony “man-woman” with the resulting attributes of each pole (“strength”- “beauty”), so the social representations of the body are crystallized around the corresponding elements: beauty - in the key element of the female body in the group of women, strength and muscles are the key elements in case of the male body in the group of men. In each case the normative and idealized representations of the body are revealed. In each case we can speak about normative and idealized representation of the body. The mute zone of the social representation (genital area) suits the logic of the male body vision, if we take into account the analysis of the male body through the prism of cultural history.

Objective. Elaboration of a model to assess the risk of radicalisation in adolescence. Background. The problem of radicalisation in adolescence is one of the most important problems in modern society, the search for mechanisms of radicalisation, as well as the development of preventive measures are in the focus of attention of researchers. Methodology. In the logic of the social identity approach and based on the uncertainty-identity theory of M. Hogg, a model for assessing the risk of radicalisation in adolescence is formulated and outlined. Conclusions. The formulated model for assessing the risk of radicalisation in adolescence postulates: individuals with multiple social identities and individuals without multiple social identities differ in groups that attract them (groups that provide them with meaningful positive social identity): those without multiple social identities have a preference for a group that would give them an clear and certain prototype.

Based on M. Hogg’s uncertainty-identity theory, a radicalisation risk assessment model was formulated. The aim of the presented study was to test the model for assessing the risk of radicalisation in adolescents and young people. A total of 580 adolescents and young people aged from 14 to 27 years (M=17.32, SD=1.66) took part in the study; 392 respondents were female, 7 respondents did not indicate their gender. The main method of the study was a survey in the form of a questionnaire. The risk assessment model got partial empirical support. For further validation of the model it was proposed to implement the following steps: 1) to identify the particularities of social identities in a subsample of schoolchildren; 2) to analyse the characteristics of the groups with which schoolchildren and students identify themselves; 3) based on the results of the most recent studies, it is proposed to use the method of social identity mapping, which demonstrates its advantages over traditional ways of measuring social identity.

Objective. The aim of this article is to analyse the social representations of coronavirus in groups of young people. Background. The COVID-19 pandemic is the first experience for most of the world's population: a new disease has emerged that is spreading rapidly across countries and continents, and humanity has nothing to counter the threat. The symbolic defences that are developed in response to this threat are the focus of the work. Study design. The study was conducted in two time periods corresponding to the two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia (the first wave from June 18, 2020 to July 10, 2020 and the fourth wave from October 14, 2021 to December 7, 2021). Participants. A total of students aged 17 to 27 years (N = 242 subjects, 12,5% men). Measurements. The main method of the study was a questionnaire (the main technique – the method of free association). The questionnaire was presented in an online format. Results. A comparison of the structure and content of COVID-19 in young people (the first and fourth waves of the pandemic) suggests the emergence of the representation of covid-19: a hierarchical organisation of elements in the case of the fourth wave. Conclusions. In the case of a COVID-19 pandemic, representatives of the youth milieu adopted a position that rationalises the threat and the fear associated with it.

Our focus in this paper is the discussion of the body as an object of research in the theory of social representations, which determines the aim of the theoretical and analytical study. The body is an inherently complex and polymorphous object that lies at the intersection of a number of diverse dimensions (biological-social; body-mind; individual-social etc.). The proposed analysis of empirical facts concerning the social representations of the body obtained within the framework of social representation theory gives us grounds to draw a rather paradoxical conclusion: the social representation theory postulates importance of the body as an object of social representations, privileges this topic for the theory of social representations, specificity of the body as an object of social representations. On the other hand, there are relatively few studies devoted to the study of social perceptions of the body, with such elements as health and beauty turning out to be the key elements around which they crystallize. The paper outlines the lines of further analysis of social perceptions, taking into account the phenomenon of the “mute zone” of social representations.

The demands of practice for the development of radicalisation risk assessment tools are still ahead of the capabilities of psychological science. An analysis of radicalisation risk assessment models used predominantly in the penitentiary systems of several countries suggests that these tools are controversial, hence the need for further theoretical reflection and experimental testing. The aim of the theoretical and analytical study outlined here is to formulate the key components of a model for assessing the risk of radicalisation in adolescent and young adult environments. Critical analysis of risk assessment models and social psychological theories of radicalisation allowed to demonstrate the advantages of M. Hogg’s uncertainty-identity theory in comparison with other explanatory concepts. Following the ideas of the uncertainty-identity theory several hypotheses were proposed in order to assess the radicalisation risk among adolescents and young people.

Problem. Terrorism is a long-standing phenomenon, it has existed for more than two millennia. It has been changing over time, acquiring the new features and characteristics of a particular era, but one feature has retained unchanged: terrorism still poses a serious threat to society. Purpose: the focus of our attention in this paper is to look into the potential of socio-psychological knowledge to assess the risk of radicalization in the adolescent and youth environment. This determines the purpose of the theoretical analysis presented here. Results: In the absence of risk assessment tools, M. Hogg’s theory of uncertainty-identity is an empirically proven theory adequate to explain the process of radicalisation (taking into account that a person is not radicalised alone, committing actions involving extreme violence is not an automatic continuation of extreme (or radical) ideas). The model explains why and how people join groups with extremist and radical beliefs, as well as why they pre-fer acts of violence, acting on behalf of these groups.

Objective. The aim of this article is a brief look at the current state of development of the theory of social representations (SRs), and a discussion of problematic points of the methodology of the SRs analysis.Background. Over the sixty years of its existence, the theory of SRs has been enriched with new ideas, methodological and methodological techniques to study SR, expanded the ranks of its supporters, who answered open questions and formulated new ones. The article proposes a brief look at the development of the theory of SR and empirical approaches to SRs. The main methods of research of the SRs are discussed.Conclusions. Observing the development of the theory of SRs over the past decade, the authors find new arguments in favor of the idea expressed by G. Breakwell, that the heterogeneity of empirical approaches to SRs turned out to be not a weakness, but a strength of the theory of SRs, by giving this theoretical tradition influence within the framework of social psychology.

The key question in this article is how children and adolescents understand health. This period attracts a particular interest because the social practice towards health and illness as well as attitudes towards risk and risk behaviour are formed at that time. The productivity of the theory of social representations applied to the field of health and illness is discussed. The exploratory study in groups of children and adolescents on the representations of health and illness is presented here. A total of 633 subjects (333 children (aged 8 years old) and 300 adolescents (aged 13 years old) participated in a study. The study is based on the structural approach of the theory of social representations. The opposition «health»—«illness» is important in case of representations of health in children; its importance is decreasing with age. The key elements of the representation of health in adolescents are the actions to maintain health. The representation in case of children is less shared than in case of adolescents.

The main purpose of the presented article is to reveal the potential of social psychological knowledge for the analysis of radicalisation of young people. In the introduction, the features of socialisation in the modern world are discussed. Special attention is drawn to the role of the Internet in the socialisation of adolescents and young people. It is noted that the dominance of audiovisual information contributes to the reduction of reflexivity and promotes the so-called clip thinking, which has become an integral characteristic of adolescents and young people. It is emphasized that life in the modern society is associated with a number of changes taking place simultaneously at different levels, and uncertainty has become its important feature. Extremism and radicalisation are considered as a reaction to uncertainty, a way to overcome it. The main part of the article is devoted to the analysis of models of radicalization describes in various works. Finally, perspectives of further investigation into the subject are outlined.

We describe a study conducted in the framework of a structural approach based on the ideas of social representations of S. Moskovici. His goal was to reveal the characteristics of representations of crime, criminals and victims in young students, as well as connections between these representations. The sample consisted of 96 students, aged 18 to 23 years. We used the traditional approach of structural theory of social representations: the method of free association with the subsequent prototypical analysis of the received associations. The initial assumptions about the structure of social representations of crime, criminals and victims, as well as the relationship of these ideas, have received full or partial empirical support. We discuss the features of the representations structure, as well as the ways for further research of this problem

We analyze various preventive and proactive suicide programs, which operate in a number of Western countries. We consider various measures implemented under the auspices of the WHO, as well as in the framework of the European Alliance Against Depression. Following J. Henden, wediscuss three types of suicide prevention: primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary prevention covers the population as a whole – suicide prevention is to promote the value of health and life. This type of prevention is addressed to a wide audience, including teenagers and young adults groups. Secondary prevention is aimed at those who have attempted to commit suicide, because the presence of attempts is a significant feature that allows to predict next attempts. Tertiary prevention is addressed to suicider’s close circle, it aims at help the suicider’s relatives to survive this event, use the appropriate ways of coping with the tragic situation.