2007. vol. 4. No. 3

The paper presents the basic outlines of ontological approach to perception analysis. The concept «event» which expresses the «implantment» of psychic phenomena in the processes of existence is in the focus of attention. The peculiarity of ontological approach consists in the perception which is seen as not just an image of reality in its relation to the reality itself (within the ontological framework) but as an image of reality in the unity of external and internal conditions of its existence. The perception turns out to be a form both of manifestation and generation of existence and the possibility of objective research, formation and correction of perceptive process is coming to light.

For many years researchers of Saint-Petersburg State University have been conducting studies in the domain of protection of motherhood and early infancy which allowed not only to find original solutions to many fundamental problems of modern science but also to elaborate a complex of practical activities aimed to amplify the adaptive functions of woman's organism during pregnancy and to develop the optimal ways to establish a relationship with a baby which would allow his adequate and full-fledged engagement with a socio-cultural environment. It was demonstrated that the quality of mother-infant relationship during the first year, mother's sensitivity and responsiveness towards signals which infant produces, influence the child's attachment formation. Yet, these micro-factors, apparently, are not the leading ones, but they act together with the macro-factors which depend on the influence of other family members and society as a whole.

The paper tells about the reasons and facts which were brought together and determined the necessity of foundation of the Faculty of Psychology at the State University Higher School of Economics. Researchers and lecturers who were at the beginnings of the faculty are listed. It also outlines the conception of the development of the faculty together with the basing of the main directions of psychologists training.

The article attempts to view personality structure and functioning and its development during ontogenesis in a temporal perspective. These psychological phenomena are analyzed as multidimensional, multilevel integral entities which origin, formation and functioning is marked by evident heterochrony. In a study of time phenomenon in personality development we proceed from B.G. Ananyev's definition of individual's age as not only ontogenetic change of phases but as socially determined course of life, a history of person's development in a given society at a defined stage of its development. The systems approach and temporal phenomenon as an integral characteristic of person's development according to L.S. Vygotsky and B.G. Ananyev are taken as methodological basis of the undertaken analysis of personality and development during ontogenesis.

The author localizes the «place» of creativeness in a virtual melting pot. The inner forms of words, images and actions melt there. The inner form of word includes the modified forms of image and action, the inner form of image — the same forms of word and action, and finally the inner form of action — the same forms of word and image. All of them also include the senses and meanings (verbal, perceptive and operational, respectively). It is hypothesized that each of inner forms is presented by a corresponding motor programs of possible localization of word, image, and action. Due to the operation (melting) of virtual programs a new inner form is born. Thus, a new word, or a new image, or a new action is created as an output of the melting pot.

The paper contains evidence that within a traditional concept of altruism representations of two essentially different types of non-egoistic aims and behaviors are not differentiated. The first type supposes a general humanistic aim to help other people without their special differentiation. The second type supposes that a subject while ignoring his own interests helps another subject in a particular way — by doing damage to his rivals. The concept «alternative altruism», or «alter-altruism» is proposed for the latter type of attitude and behavior. The classification of different human activities in a three-dimensional space «cooperation-counteraction-execution/ reflection» is presented. Manifestations of alter-altruism towards «enemies» and «allies» are being described. Moral dilemmas of alter-altruistic activities are discussed and future research aims are set.

One of the innovative trends in modern studies of human nature is a study of reflection. The article contains the analysis of development of reflection problems in European culture, the differentiation of stages and generalization of achievements of its elaboration in philosophy and psychology in the context of interaction of the main methodological orientations of scientific cognition: in humanities and culturology, in natural-science and in technical or technological dimensions. At the same time the experience of psycho-technological mastering of reflection processes is presented in the context of research of individual differences and economic behavior of an individual which are run on the Faculty of Psychology of Higher Economics School.

The article discusses the approaches to examine the influence of form of information presenting on its perception by a recipient. An experimental classification of test interpretation (TI) forms or diagnostic conclusions is outlined. In a research conducted by the author some statistically significant differences which depend on a semantic context of diagnostic conclusions were revealed. They confirm the possibility of TI forms' influence on making decisions by personnel recruitment specialists. On the basis of qualitative and quantitative data analysis the tendencies of TI perception (Barnum's effect, effects of emotional reaction and vision inertia) are formulated. They are to be justified or corrected in future research.

The article attempts to analyze the influence of separate components of enriched environment on the formation of individual differences in intelligence and creativity. It was proven theoretically that the description of educational environment should be founded on the extraction of three basic characteristics of a given environmental event. They are: 1) the external initiation of an activity, 2) the internal initiation of an activity, and 3) experience content. The research results allow to conclude that the enrichment of educational environment increases the level of creative development due to active participation in cultural and entertaining activities which influences in many ways the emotional sphere of a child and forms his experience of social interactions. The intellectual development of a child is determined by possibility to realize his initiative in obtaining the experience in practical interactions independently from specific forms of educational events. The authors emphasize the practical importance of these results in a view of the search for new approaches to work with older preschoolers in the context of interdepartmental discussion on the possibility of special school education for 5 year olds.

Seventeen items of recurrent sequences of psychological test of R. Cattel and «Numeric test» of H. Eysenk were investigated from the position of general theory of recurrent relationships. It was demonstrated that tasks with ambiguous answers were to be found among the mentioned items. For this type of tasks new formulations were given which allows to eliminate uncertainty of response.