Three vital issues. Christian Counseling Textbook - Jay E. Adams Vital Issues

Imagine how - this boy comes into life. If he goes to kindergarten, it is not difficult to predict what his behavior will be like, just as in the case of a concert. He controls others who are weaker than him, and in more difficult situations he fights to fulfill all his whims.

Therefore, if the teacher is strict with him, most likely, his stay in kindergarten will be short-lived. He will have to resort to constant tricks and live in tension, which will lead to headaches and the like. The appearance of these symptoms can be regarded as the first manifestations of neurosis.

On the other hand, if the environment is gentle and sympathetic, the boy can feel like the center of attention and even become the leader of his group.

Since a kindergarten is a social institution, and, therefore, the first social problems appear here, the child must be prepared to meet with them and to comply with the laws of community life. He must be able to make himself useful to this small community, and this is only possible when the interests of others become more important to him than his own.

At school, the situation repeats itself, and again it is not difficult for us to imagine what will happen to this type of boy. In a private school, where a small number of students are given more attention, he will feel better.

Perhaps in such a situation, no one will notice his problems. On the contrary, perhaps even teachers will say: "This is our best student!" It is also possible that as a class leader, he will be satisfied with his superiority in one area, and his behavior at home will change.

If your child's behavior improves after he or she starts school, you can be confident that the classroom environment is conducive to him and he feels superior. However, as a rule, the opposite happens. Children who were very loved and obedient at home often become the worst students in school.

In the previous chapter, we talked about the school as an organization that stands between the home and the community. And if at school the boy we are talking about can sometimes find favorable situations for himself, then in later life after school he will not meet them.Many wonder why children who behaved great at home and at school can change so much for the worse in later life? Why do they turn into adults with many psychological problems, neurosis, which in the future can develop into a disease? Such situations are difficult to understand, since the prototype was not manifested in the favorable environment in which the child was before leaving school.

Therefore, it is necessary to learn to distinguish between errors of the prototype in a situation favorable for the child, or at least admit that they may be present, recognizing the difficulties of recognizing them in such circumstances. There are several signs to help determine if a prototype is faulty. Often, a child who wants to attract attention and is not socially sufficiently adapted is rather sloppy, since with his sloppiness he forces others to take care of himself, to devote time and attention. In the evenings, he can hardly be put to bed, and at night he often cries and wet his bed.

He may also pretend to be anxious, noticing that anxiety is a suitable weapon to force others to obey. All these signs appear in a favorable situation, and having found them, you can come to the correct conclusion regarding this child.

Three vital issues

Let's see what happens to this boy, who has errors in the prototype, then, when he approaches his maturity, say, seventeen or eighteen years old. Before him is the whole life, in which it is not so easy to navigate, because he knows nothing about it. But entering life, he will inevitably face what we call the "three main questions": the question of life in society, the question of activity and the question of love and marriage. They arise as questions of our relationship with others, but are inextricably linked to our very existence. The issue of life in society includes our behavior towards other people, our relationship to humanity and its future.

The preservation and salvation of man depends on the answer to it, for human life is so limited that we can walk along it only by holding together.

As for the type of activity, then we can think about this issue using the example that we just looked at. It is safe to say that, guided in the choice of an occupation by one goal alone - to achieve superiority over others - this young man will encounter great difficulties. It is difficult to find a place of work where you do not need to obey or cooperate. And since this boy only cares about his own good, he will never feel good in a subordinate position. Moreover, such a person may not be a very reliable business partner, since it will not be easy for him to subordinate his personal interests to the interests of the firm.

In general, we can say that success in activity depends entirely on social adaptation. The ability to understand the needs of partners and the needs of consumers, see with their eyes, hear with their ears and feel what they are feeling is a huge business advantage. People with this ability go uphill quickly, but our boy, as we discovered, does not possess it: he is always concerned only with his own interests and is able to succeed only in what is connected with them. So in his work, he will often suffer defeat.

In addition, you may find that in most cases such people never complete their endeavors or are late in choosing an occupation.

It happens that at the age of thirty they still do not know what they intend to do in life. They often change their training profile and place of work, which is a sign of inability to adapt.

Sometimes you can meet a young man of seventeen or eighteen years old, full of strength and aspirations, but not knowing what to do. It is very important to try to understand such a person and give him advice regarding his future occupation.

It is quite possible to interest him in something and teach him accordingly.

On the other hand, the fact that at this age a young man still does not know what he wants to do in later life should be troubling.

Quite often, it is only a confirmation that the young man is not very eager to do anything at all. And it is necessary to make efforts both at home and at school to interest the boy of this type in the future profession before he reaches adolescence. At school, this can be done by offering an essay on the topic "Who I want to be in future life." Reflecting on the topic of an essay, children will definitely face problems that it is high time to start thinking about at a young age, without waiting for the moment when they are seriously posed by life.

The last question that will surely arise before our young man is the question of love and marriage. Since people are divided into two genders, this issue is important. Sex differences force us to learn to behave in relation to the opposite sex. We will discuss the problem of love and marriage in the next chapter: now it is necessary to emphasize its connection with the problem of social adaptation. The same lack of social interest, responsible for social and business maladjustment, also affects the ability to interact with the opposite sex. It is clear that the self-centered, self-absorbed person lacks the training required for menage a deux. And it is quite possible that one of the main goals of the sexual instinct is to lure a person out of his closed shell and prepare him for life in society. However, accordingly, he can perform this function in a person who is able to forget his own “I” and become a part of something larger - which must be brought up with the help of psychology.

Let's see what happens to this boy, who has errors in the prototype, then, when he approaches his maturity, say, seventeen or eighteen years old. Before him is the whole life, in which it is not so easy to navigate, because he knows nothing about it. But entering life, he will inevitably face what we call the "three main questions": the question of life in society, the question of activity and the question of love and marriage. They arise as questions of our relationship with others, but are inextricably linked to our very existence. The issue of life in society includes our behavior towards other people, our relationship to humanity and its future.

The preservation and salvation of man depends on the answer to it, for human life is so limited that we can walk along it only by holding together.

As for the type of activity, then we can think about this issue using the example that we just looked at. It is safe to say that, guided in the choice of an occupation by one goal alone - to achieve superiority over others - this young man will encounter great difficulties. It is difficult to find a place of work where you do not need to obey or cooperate. And since this boy only cares about his own good, he will never feel good in a subordinate position. Moreover, such a person may not be a very reliable business partner, since it will not be easy for him to subordinate his personal interests to the interests of the firm.

In general, we can say that success in activity depends entirely on social adaptation. The ability to understand the needs of partners and the needs of consumers, see with their eyes, hear with their ears and feel what they are feeling is a huge business advantage. People with this ability go uphill quickly, but our boy, as we discovered, does not possess it: he is always concerned only with his own interests and is able to succeed only in what is connected with them. So in his work, he will often suffer defeat.

In addition, you may find that in most cases such people never complete their endeavors or are late in choosing an occupation.

It happens that at the age of thirty they still do not know what they intend to do in life. They often change their training profile and place of work, which is a sign of inability to adapt.

Sometimes you can meet a young man of seventeen or eighteen years old, full of strength and aspirations, but not knowing what to do. It is very important to try to understand such a person and give him advice regarding his future occupation.

It is quite possible to interest him in something and teach him accordingly.

On the other hand, the fact that at this age a young man still does not know what he wants to do in later life should be troubling.

Quite often, it is only a confirmation that the young man is not very eager to do anything at all. And it is necessary to make efforts both at home and at school to interest the boy of this type in the future profession before he reaches adolescence. At school, this can be done by offering an essay on the topic "Who I want to be in future life." Reflecting on the theme of the essay, children will surely face problems that it is high time to start thinking about at a young age, without waiting for the moment when they are seriously posed by life.

The last question that will surely arise before our young man is the question of love and marriage. Since people are divided into two genders, this issue is important. Sex differences force us to learn to behave in relation to the opposite sex. We will discuss the problem of love and marriage in the next chapter: now it is necessary to emphasize its connection with the problem of social adaptation. The same lack of social interest, responsible for social and business maladjustment, also affects the ability to interact with the opposite sex. It is clear that the self-centered, self-absorbed person lacks the training required for menage a deux. And it is quite possible that one of the main goals of the sexual instinct is to lure a person out of his closed shell and prepare him for life in society. However, accordingly, he can perform this function in a person who is able to forget his own “I” and become a part of something larger - which must be brought up with the help of psychology.

So, about the boy whose case we studied, we can come to the following conclusions. We observed that confronting three vital problems caused him to be confused and afraid of failure. We have also seen that in pursuit of the goal of excellence, he tried to avoid the complexity of real life for as long as possible. What will he do? He will not fit into social life, since he is antagonistic to others, suspicious and withdrawn.

Since he does not care about the opinions of others and how he looks in their eyes, he will not pay attention to his appearance and will often walk around dirty and sloppy - manifestations inherent in an unhealthy person. He will reject language, which is a social necessity for us. He may not speak at all: a trait often seen in schizophrenia.

Having fenced himself off with a wall from all questions of life, this person moves along the path leading directly to the hospital for the mentally ill. His goal of superiority contributed to hermetic isolation from others and this transformed his sexual desires, so that in this sense he is no longer a normal person either. We may find in him the belief that he is the Chinese Emperor or Jesus Christ, which is a way of realizing the goal of excellence.

Let's see what happens to this boy, who has errors in the prototype, then, when he approaches his maturity, say, seventeen or eighteen years old. Before him is the whole life, in which it is not so easy to navigate, because he knows nothing about it. But entering life, he will inevitably face what we call the "three main questions": the question of life in society, the question of activity and the question of love and marriage. They arise as questions of our relationship with others, but are inextricably linked to our very existence. The issue of life in society includes our behavior towards other people, our relationship to humanity and its future.

The preservation and salvation of man depends on the answer to it, for human life is so limited that we can walk along it only by holding together.

As for the type of activity, then we can think about this issue using the example that we just looked at. It is safe to say that, guided in the choice of an occupation by one goal alone - to achieve superiority over others - this young man will encounter great difficulties. It is difficult to find a place of work where you do not need to obey or cooperate. And since this boy only cares about his own good, he will never feel good in a subordinate position. Moreover, such a person may not be a very reliable business partner, since it will not be easy for him to subordinate his personal interests to the interests of the firm.

In general, we can say that success in activity depends entirely on social adaptation. The ability to understand the needs of partners and the needs of consumers, see with their eyes, hear with their ears and feel what they are feeling is a huge business advantage. People with this ability go uphill quickly, but our boy, as we discovered, does not possess it: he is always concerned only with his own interests and is able to succeed only in what is connected with them. So in his work, he will often suffer defeat.

In addition, you may find that in most cases such people never complete their endeavors or are late in choosing an occupation.

It happens that at the age of thirty they still do not know what they intend to do in life. They often change their training profile and place of work, which is a sign of inability to adapt.

Sometimes you can meet a young man of seventeen or eighteen years old, full of strength and aspirations, but not knowing what to do. It is very important to try to understand such a person and give him advice regarding his future occupation.

It is quite possible to interest him in something and teach him accordingly.

On the other hand, the fact that at this age a young man still does not know what he wants to do in later life should be troubling.

Quite often, it is only a confirmation that the young man is not very eager to do anything at all. And it is necessary to make efforts both at home and at school to interest the boy of this type in the future profession before he reaches adolescence. At school, this can be done by offering an essay on the topic "Who I want to be in later life." Reflecting on the topic of an essay, children will definitely face problems that it is high time to start thinking about at a young age, without waiting for the moment when they are seriously posed by life.

The last question that will surely arise before our young man is the question of love and marriage. Since people are divided into two genders, this issue is important. Sex differences force us to learn to behave in relation to the opposite sex. We will discuss the problem of love and marriage in the next chapter: now it is necessary to emphasize its connection with the problem of social adaptation. The same lack of social interest, responsible for social and business maladjustment, also affects the ability to interact with the opposite sex. It is clear that the self-centered, self-absorbed person lacks the training required for "menage a deux." And it is quite possible that one of the main goals of the sexual instinct is to lure a person out of his closed shell and prepare him for life in society. However, accordingly, he can perform this function in a person who is able to forget his own "I" and become a part of something larger - which must be brought up with the help of psychology.

So, about the boy whose case we studied, we can come to the following conclusions. We observed that confronting three vital problems caused him to be confused and afraid of failure. We have also seen that in pursuit of the goal of excellence, he tried to avoid the complexity of real life for as long as possible. What will he do? He will not fit into social life, since he is antagonistic to others, suspicious and withdrawn.

Since he does not care about the opinions of others and how he looks in their eyes, he will not pay attention to his appearance and will often walk around dirty and sloppy - manifestations inherent in an unhealthy person. He will reject language, which is a social necessity for us. He may not speak at all: a trait often seen in schizophrenia.

Having fenced himself off with a wall from all questions of life, this person moves along the path leading directly to the hospital for the mentally ill. His goal of superiority contributed to hermetic isolation from others and this transformed his sexual desires, so that in this sense he is no longer a normal person either. We may find in him the belief that he is the Chinese Emperor or Jesus Christ, which is a way of realizing the goal of excellence.

1

This article provides an overview of studies that address the vital issues of high school students. The article reflects the results of an experimental study carried out by the authors to identify the vital problems of high school students. The task of psychological support for high school students in the formation of the ability to make vital decisions is set. The author's definitions of the following concepts are given: vital problems, making vital decisions, vital decisions. The ability to make decisions is considered as a complex skill, which is a complex of intellectual-volitional actions mastered by the subject, which determine the successful resolution of emerging problems and the result that is most satisfying to the subject. The structure of the ability to make vital decisions is presented, which includes the following particular skills: to recognize (identify) a problem situation, categorize a problem situation, formulate a request, put forward alternatives, analyze alternatives and choose the most acceptable one. Indicators of the effectiveness of the decisions made are proposed. The possibility of forming these skills among high school students in the course of an elective training course is declared.

vital problems

vital decisions

making decisions

decision making skills

problem situation

1. Adler A. Science to live // ​​[Electronic resource]. - Access mode: http://www.gumer.info/bibliotek_Buks/Psihol/Adler/_Nauka_index.php (date of access 03/30/2012).

2. Global problems: Philosophical encyclopedic dictionary. - M .: Soviet encyclopedia. Ch. edition: L. F. Ilyichev, P. N. Fedoseev, S. M. Kovalev, V. G. Panov. 1983.- 840 p.

3. Global Problems: Philosophy: Encyclopedic Dictionary / Ed. A. A. Ivina. - M .: Gardariki, 2004 .-- 1072 p.

4. Zagryadskaya NN Psychological support of high school students in solving existential problems: author. dis. Cand. psychol. Sciences: 19.00.07. - Rostov n / a, 1999 .-- 22 p.

5. Zeer EF Psychology of professions [Electronic resource]. - Access mode: http://bookw.narod.ru/part4.htm (date of access 03/30/2012).

6. Cole L., Hall J. Psychology of youth. - SPb .: Peter, 2000 .-- 547 p.

7. Maslow A. Motivation and personality [Electronic resource]. - Access mode: http://www.psylib.ukrweb.net/books/masla01/txt02.htm (date of access 03/30/2012).

8. Meshcheryakova IA Studying the life problems of senior pupils - methods and research results [Electronic resource]. - Access mode: http://www.fpo.ru/staff/index/1/55.html (date of treatment 03/30/2012).

9. Mukhina VS Developmental psychology: phenomenology of development, childhood, adolescence: Textbook for students. universities.- M .: Publishing Center "Academy", 1999. - 456 p.

10. Ponaryadova TV Life problems and ways of solving them by young people - representatives of different ethnic groups: dis. ... Cand. psychol. Sciences: 19.00.13. SPb., 2001 .-- 160 p.

11. Practical psychology of education / Ed. I. V. Dubrovina. - SPb .: Peter, 2004 .-- 592 p.

12. Regush LA Problems of mental development and their prevention. - SPb .: Rech, 2006 .-- 320 p.

Improving the education system is increasingly associated with the purposeful development of students' vital skills, competencies, qualities and personality traits, which allow them to actively engage in a constantly changing reality, be ready to independently solve emerging problems and develop themselves in a direction that will ensure the greatest success and self-realization. One of these skills is the ability to independently solve vital problems, the formation of which can be ensured within the framework of the activities of the psychological service of an educational institution, including in the process of teaching psychological disciplines. In this regard, we will consider what vital problems are, what features they are characterized by and what are the possible ways to resolve them.

The phrase " vital problems»Occurs quite widely in a wide variety of studies and in a wide variety of contexts. First of all, it is presented in the context of the concept of "global problems", which is defined as "a set of vital problems affecting humanity as a whole and insoluble within individual states and even geographic regions"; "A set of vital problems of mankind, on the solution of which further social progress in modern era ".

In psychology, A. Adler was one of the first to talk about vital human problems. In his book The Science of Living, he called three vital issues faced by a young person in adolescence: a question of life in society, a question of activity and a question of love and marriage... Adler notes that solving one of these problems helps to get closer to solving others. They represent different aspects of the same situation and the same problem - the need for living beings to keep alive and continue to live in the environment that they have. Solving these problems, each person inevitably manifests his deep sense of the essence of life.

A. Maslow in his book "Motivation and Personality", characterizing the state of science, wrote: "The inevitable striving of science for elegance, completeness and technicality of argumentation often leads to the fact that vital problems, problems of great importance remain outside its field of vision, and creativity - unclaimed ".

The fact that “vital problems arise in front of an individual throughout her life,” writes E. Zeer, referring to them “the ability to find personal meaning in professional work, independently design, create one's professional life, responsibly make decisions about choosing a profession , specialties and places of work ".

In our work, attention is paid to the vital problems of high school students, which, on the one hand, are caused by significant changes in their self-awareness and a new understanding of themselves and other people, and, on the other hand, by the imminent transition to an independent life, the nature of which will largely depend on the quality of their decisions.

Various studies present classifications of problems experienced by high school students. In particular, V. S. Mukhina notes that if younger children deal mainly with the present, with what exists “here and now,” then the adolescent's ideas extend to the sphere of a possible future. The teenager gradually begins to take on the position of an adult. The object of his most important reflections is the future opportunities associated with him personally: the choice of a profession, orientation towards marriage, the desire to be able to interact with social groups that are much less specific and definite than family or friends, such as the state, country, city, professional and others. groups, religious associations, etc.

The life problems of young men of various ethnic groups are investigated by T.V. Ponaryadova, according to which life problems are associated with various aspects of a person's mental organization. On the emotional level these are problems that arise when there is a negative attitude towards significant phenomena. On the volitional level these are problems associated with the definition of ways, means, means, as well as with the motives for achieving goals. At the cognitive level, there are problems associated with cognition and comprehension of phenomena. On the psychosocial level- problems as a result of the mismatch between the requirements of society and the needs of the individual, when the requirements for various reasons are not accepted by the individual.

NN Zagryadskaya names the following existential problems of high school students: problems of life and death, freedom and responsibility, choice, loneliness and love, meaning of life, opportunities for self-improvement, ways of self-realization. She also notes that the willingness to independently solve existential problems (making life choices, realizing the possibilities of self-realization, accepting responsibility, having a positive attitude towards the inner and outer worlds, etc.) affects the ability to maintain mental health and human integrity. At the same time, one of the important formations in the semantic sphere of the individual for the actualization of internal reserves in difficult life situations in the process of self-determination should be the formation of the position of the subject of his own life, when a person acts as an organizer of life and can influence its course. It is noted that the method of resolving the contradictions of life characterizes the psychological and social maturity of a person.

N.N. Tolstykh distinguishes between the problems of students in grades 10 and 11. The 10th grade students are characterized by: the problem of socio-psychological adaptation to a new team (how to ensure a high status in a new class?); setting to extend the moratorium of childhood (how interesting / carefree to spend your free time without overloading yourself with studies). For 11th grade students, the following problems are characteristic: the choice of a future profession and the construction of further educational plans (where to go to study ?, who to become?); the problem of passing final exams (USE); preparation and passing of entrance exams (how to prepare: independently, in preparatory courses or with a tutor? how to take?).

L. Cole and J. Hall identified the following problems that youth must solve: 1) general emotional maturity; 2) awakening heterosexual interest; 3) general social maturity; 4) emancipation from the parental home; 5) intellectual maturity; 6) choice of profession; 7) skills in dealing with free time; 8) construction of a psychology of life based on behavior based on conscience and a sense of duty; 9) identification "I" (perception "I"). Achieving adulthood is the ultimate goal of youth.

In the course of a comparative study conducted by I.A. abilities and their spiritual self. In second place for eighth-graders - the problem of building their self-concept or ego-identity, and for eleventh graders - relationships with teachers. And only the third place in both groups belongs to educational problems.

LA Regush offers one of the most systematized classifications of problems of adolescence, pointing out the following problems of mental development inherent in this age: professional self-determination; control, regulation of emotions and feelings (does not cope with feelings, passion, expression of emotions); identity and mixing of roles (gender role, ethnicity, etc.); mastering new social roles; family relationships (crisis of authority); loneliness; change of world view; experimentation and risk.

We also conducted an experimental study, during which high school students were asked the following questions:

1. What life problems do you have to deal with at the present time?
2. Are you satisfied with the decisions made and their results?

In total, 103 people took part in the study - pupils of the 10-11th grades of school No. 30 in Sterlitamak. Of these, 43 are boys and 63 are girls. The answers received in free form were subjected to content analysis. As a result, all the answers were combined into several groups, for each of which the corresponding percentage was calculated in relation to the total number of respondents. Since the questionnaires, as a rule, had several answers, the total number of percentages exceeds 100%. The results of the analysis of answers to the question are presented in Table 1.

Table 1

Results of answers to the question: "What life problems do you solve at the present time?"

	High school student problems
	Where to go to study after graduation?
	How to successfully pass the exam?
	Which profession to choose?
	How well to finish school?
	How can you improve your relationship with your parents?
	How can you improve your relationship with friends?
	How to build relationships with the opposite sex?
	How to make a lot of money?
	How to avoid falling under the influence of bad company?
	What to do in your free time?
	How to get married successfully?
	How to give birth to healthy, beautiful children?
	Will there be children?
	How to keep your husband from cheating?
	When to have children?
	How many children should a family have?
	How to make your family happy?
	Will there be love?
	How to find your love?
	How to overcome laziness?
	How to achieve the goal of your life?
	The health of the high school students themselves and their parents
	How to meet a girl?
	How to cheer up?
	How to go abroad for life?
	How do you succeed in your chosen activity?

As follows from the results presented in Table 2, the problem most often named in the answers of senior pupils is where to go to study after leaving school (65.5% of boys and 74.6% of girls). A significant part of the answers concerned the problems of successfully passing the Unified State Exam (34.9% of boys and 48.27% of girls), choosing a profession (34.9% of boys and 46.2% of girls), successful completion of school (31.5% of boys and 34, 4% of girls). Relations with parents (3.44% of boys and 17.9% of girls), friends (3.44% of boys and 11.97% of girls), people of the opposite sex (6.89% of boys and 14.92 % of girls). Note that girls are more concerned about these problems than boys. It is noteworthy that the answers of high school students also highlighted the following problems: how to make a lot of money (13.79% of boys and 2.98% of girls), how not to fall under the influence of bad company (3.44% of boys and 6.88% of girls), what to do in their free time (13.79% and 2.98% of girls). In a number of answers, problems are noted that concern only girls (how to get married successfully, will there be children, how to keep a husband from cheating, how to give birth to healthy, beautiful children, how many children do you need to have in a family, how to make your family happy, will there be love, how to find your love) or only young men (how to overcome laziness, how to achieve the goal of your life, how to get to know a girl, how to cheer up, how to go abroad for life, how to achieve success in the chosen activity, the health of the young men and their parents ).

The results of the answer to the second question: “Are you satisfied with your earlier decisions and their results?” Are presented in Table 2.

table 2

Results of the answer to the question: "Are you satisfied with your earlier decisions and their results?"

As follows from the table. 2 results, only 33.3% of boys and 44% of girls are satisfied with their decisions, while a significant part of boys (66.7%) and girls (56%) are dissatisfied with their decisions to varying degrees, which means they need help with solving problems that arise in their lives.

As you can see, the vital problems of high school students are characterized by significant diversity. At the same time, in solving their problems, high school students are not always satisfied with their decisions; it is also known that many of them do not have the opportunity and desire to turn to others for help, strive to make vital decisions on their own. At the same time, high school students do not have enough life experience to make a decision that has been proven in practice, they have a limited set of techniques and methods for making decisions and, as a result, cannot justify their choice, and either become dependent on the opinions of others (most often their peers), or make insufficiently deliberate impulsive decisions.

In this regard, psychological support of high school students in the formation of the ability to make vital decisions becomes relevant. The implementation of this support presupposes an understanding of the essence of the phenomena: vital problems, making vital decisions, etc. Let us present them in our understanding.

Vital problems- the subject's conscious experience of the need to resolve difficulties and contradictions that arise in a real life situation that have significant consequences for him that significantly affect his future life.

Making vital decisions- an intellectual-volitional process of choosing one or several options for action aimed at solving a vital problem.

Vital decisions- the result of choosing a specific option for action in a situation of experiencing a vital problem.

Skilldecision making(including vital ones) is a complex skill, which is a complex of intellectual and volitional actions mastered by the subject, which determine the successful resolution of emerging problems and the most satisfying result for the subject.

The structure of decision-making skills includes the following specific skills:

• the ability to recognize (identify) a problem situation is the subject's understanding of the contradiction that has arisen and the need to resolve it;
• the ability to categorize a problem situation - the ability of a subject to refer a problem situation (problem) to a certain class of similar and already known;
• the ability to formulate a request - the ability of a subject to pose a question that needs to be resolved on the basis of an analysis of a problem situation;
• the ability to put forward alternatives - the ability to generate various options for actions, ways of behaving in a given situation;
• the ability to analyze alternatives and choose the most acceptable - the ability to compare the available alternatives on the basis of certain criteria, predict the consequences of choosing each of them and choose the most optimal one that ensures a successful solution to the problem.

The indicators of the effectiveness of the decisions made can be the following: compliance of the decision made with moral values, rules and laws adopted in society; justification (recoverability) of costs / losses (intellectual, moral, physical, material, time) for the implementation of the decision; environmental friendliness - compliance of the consequences of the decision made with the expected results.

Each of the above skills can be formed in the course of special exercises and tasks, the implementation of which was carried out by us in the course of an elective course for high school students.

Reviewers:

• Madzhuga Anatoly Gennadievich, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Psychology, Sterlitamak State Pedagogical Academy named after Zainab Biisheva, Sterlitamak.
• Verbitsky Andrey Aleksandrovich, Doctor of Pedagogy, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Social and Pedagogical Psychology, Moscow State University for the Humanities named after M. A. Sholokhov, Moscow.

Bibliographic reference

Uvarova S.Ya., Dubovitskaya T.D. VITALLY IMPORTANT PROBLEMS OF HIGH SCHOOLS AND WAYS OF THEIR SOLUTION // Modern problems of science and education. - 2012. - No. 3 .;
URL: http://science-education.ru/ru/article/view?id=6117 (date accessed: 26.06.2019). We bring to your attention the journals published by the "Academy of Natural Sciences"

It may seem paradoxical that the goal of individual psychology is social adaptation. However, the paradox is only present in the combination of words. As we become more and more attentive to the psychological life of a particular individual, we have come to understand how important the social element is in it. The individual becomes individual only in a social context. Unlike other schools of psychology, we do not distinguish between so-called "individual" and "social" psychology. In the previous pages, we tried to analyze the individual lifestyle, but the analysis was always from a social point of view and its ultimate goal was also social.

Now we will continue our analysis, further shifting the focus to the problem of social adaptation. We will discuss the same facts as in the previous chapters, but instead of examining in detail the diagnosis of lifestyle, we will look at the lifestyle in action, as well as methods that can influence the manifestations of the lifestyle.

The analysis of social problems follows from the analysis of the problems of education, which were the topic of the previous chapter. School and kindergarten are miniature social organizations, by the example of which it is possible to study the problems of poor social fitness in a simplified form.

Early childhood

As an illustration of our problem, consider the behavior of a five-year-old boy. His mother came to the therapist complaining that her son was restless, hyperactive, and so troublesome that her whole day was occupied only by him, and in the evening she was really exhausted. She also said that she could not bear it any longer, and if it was advisable, she would like to send him out of the house.

Knowing all these details of the boy's behavior, you can easily "identify" with him and put yourself in his place. What does any hyperactive 5-year-old child do? He climbs on the table in street shoes, loves to walk around dirty; if his mother wants to read, he will play with light. And when parents want to play the piano or sing a duet - what will such a boy do? He will yell or cover his ears, insisting that he doesn't like all the noise! Every time, not getting what he wants, he will be furious - but he will always want something!

If we observe such behavior in kindergarten, it is safe to say that the child seeks to start a fight and all his actions are aimed at this. Day and night, he is restless, while his parents are in a state of chronic fatigue. He himself never gets tired, because, unlike his parents, he should not do what he does not want. He just wants to be active, and he also wants others to do it.

A case study might well illustrate how this boy struggles to be the center of attention. One day, his parents took him to a concert in which they took part. At the time of their performance, the boy said loudly: "Hello, dad!" - and ran down the aisle. This behavior could well have been predicted, but the mother and father did not understand the reasons for it. They considered their son a normal child, despite the fact that he behaved clearly abnormally.

However, in a way, he was still normal: he had a reasonable plan for life. In this respect, his actions were absolutely correct and completely consistent with his plan. Seeing the plan, you can guess about the actions that follow from it. It can also be concluded that the boy we are talking about is not mentally retarded, since mentally retarded people cannot afford a reasonable life plan.

When his mother had guests and wanted to enjoy the party, the boy would push the guests out of their chairs, always demanding the exact chair someone intended to sit in. It is clear that this behavior also stems from his prototype and is in line with the purpose of his life, which is to show his superiority, to control others and to have undivided attention of his father and mother.

It can be concluded that this five-year-old boy is used to being pampered and that if he continued to be indulged, his behavior would not be so belligerent. In other words, it seems that this child has lost the position that was previously more favorable for him.

How could this happen? Perhaps he has a younger brother or sister. And then, at the age of five, he found himself in a new situation, feeling overthrown and wanting to protect his position as the favorite of the family, which he thought he had lost. For this reason, he fought for the attention of his parents, forcing them to constantly take care of themselves. There is another reason for his behavior.

It is easy to see that the first years of life did not prepare this child for new life situations, and the reliability of the parents did not contribute in any way to the development of his sense of community. Therefore, he was completely unadapted socially, interested only in himself and his own well-being.

When the mother was asked how the boy felt about his younger brother, she insisted that he liked him. Their relationship was overshadowed by the only misunderstanding that, while playing with the baby, he constantly dropped it. With the permission of the readers, we dare to admit that such actions do not indicate a pronounced affection.

To finally understand the meaning of this boy's behavior, it is worth comparing it with the rather common behavior of warlike children who do not often get into fights. Children are too smart to fight constantly, because they know that one of the parents will put an end to their battles. From time to time they stop fighting and behave well.

But the old mechanisms reappear again and again, as happened in the boy's games with his brother, when he constantly dropped him. In fact, in this case, the purpose of his games was to drop his brother.

Consider the behavior of a boy in his relationship with his mother. When she tried to spank him, he either laughed and tried to dodge the spanking, or, when he got it harder, he fell silent for a while, but only to wait out the storm and start his battle again. All the boy's behavior is so clearly determined by his goal that it is easy to predict his future actions. This would not be possible if the prototype did not represent some kind of unity, and also if we did not know the goal that all the aspirations and actions of a given person pursue.

Problems at school

Imagine how - this boy comes into life. If he goes to kindergarten, it is not difficult to predict what his behavior will be like, just as in the case of a concert. He controls others who are weaker than him, and in more difficult situations he fights to fulfill all his whims.

Therefore, if the teacher is strict with him, most likely, his stay in kindergarten will be short-lived. He will have to resort to constant tricks and live in tension, which will lead to headaches and the like. The appearance of these symptoms can be regarded as the first manifestations of neurosis.

On the other hand, if the environment is gentle and sympathetic, the boy can feel like the center of attention and even become the leader of his group.

Since a kindergarten is a social institution, and, therefore, the first social problems appear here, the child must be prepared to meet with them and to comply with the laws of community life. He must be able to make himself useful to this small community, and this is only possible when the interests of others become more important to him than his own.

At school, the situation repeats itself, and again it is not difficult for us to imagine what will happen to this type of boy. In a private school, where a small number of students are given more attention, he will feel better.

Perhaps in such a situation, no one will notice his problems. On the contrary, perhaps even teachers will say: "This is our best student!" It is also possible that as a class leader, he will be satisfied with his superiority in one area, and his behavior at home will change.

If your child's behavior improves after he or she starts school, you can be confident that the classroom environment is conducive to him and he feels superior. However, as a rule, the opposite happens. Children who were very loved and obedient at home often become the worst students in school.

In the previous chapter, we talked about the school as an organization that stands between the home and the community. And if at school the boy we are talking about can sometimes find favorable situations for himself, then in later life after school he will not meet them.Many wonder why children who behaved great at home and at school can change so much for the worse in later life? Why do they turn into adults with many psychological problems, neurosis, which in the future can develop into a disease? Such situations are difficult to understand, since the prototype was not manifested in the favorable environment in which the child was before leaving school.

Therefore, it is necessary to learn to distinguish between errors of the prototype in a situation favorable for the child, or at least admit that they may be present, recognizing the difficulties of recognizing them in such circumstances. There are several signs to help determine if a prototype is faulty. Often, a child who wants to attract attention and is not socially sufficiently adapted is rather sloppy, since with his sloppiness he forces others to take care of himself, to devote time and attention. In the evenings, he can hardly be put to bed, and at night he often cries and wet his bed.

He may also pretend to be anxious, noticing that anxiety is a suitable weapon to force others to obey. All these signs appear in a favorable situation, and having found them, you can come to the correct conclusion regarding this child.

Three vital issues

Let's see what happens to this boy, who has errors in the prototype, then, when he approaches his maturity, say, seventeen or eighteen years old. Before him is the whole life, in which it is not so easy to navigate, because he knows nothing about it. But entering life, he will inevitably face what we call the "three main questions": the question of life in society, the question of activity and the question of love and marriage. They arise as questions of our relationship with others, but are inextricably linked to our very existence. The issue of life in society includes our behavior towards other people, our relationship to humanity and its future.

The preservation and salvation of man depends on the answer to it, for human life is so limited that we can walk along it only by holding together.

As for the type of activity, then we can think about this issue using the example that we just looked at. It is safe to say that, guided in the choice of an occupation by one goal alone - to achieve superiority over others - this young man will encounter great difficulties. It is difficult to find a place of work where you do not need to obey or cooperate. And since this boy only cares about his own good, he will never feel good in a subordinate position. Moreover, such a person may not be a very reliable business partner, since it will not be easy for him to subordinate his personal interests to the interests of the firm.

In general, we can say that success in activity depends entirely on social adaptation. The ability to understand the needs of partners and the needs of consumers, see with their eyes, hear with their ears and feel what they are feeling is a huge business advantage. People with this ability go uphill quickly, but our boy, as we discovered, does not possess it: he is always concerned only with his own interests and is able to succeed only in what is connected with them. So in his work, he will often suffer defeat.

In addition, you may find that in most cases such people never complete their endeavors or are late in choosing an occupation.

It happens that at the age of thirty they still do not know what they intend to do in life. They often change their training profile and place of work, which is a sign of inability to adapt.

Sometimes you can meet a young man of seventeen or eighteen years old, full of strength and aspirations, but not knowing what to do. It is very important to try to understand such a person and give him advice regarding his future occupation.

It is quite possible to interest him in something and teach him accordingly.

On the other hand, the fact that at this age a young man still does not know what he wants to do in later life should be troubling.

Quite often, it is only a confirmation that the young man is not very eager to do anything at all. And it is necessary to make efforts both at home and at school to interest the boy of this type in the future profession before he reaches adolescence. At school, this can be done by offering an essay on the topic "Who I want to be in future life." Reflecting on the topic of an essay, children will definitely face problems that it is high time to start thinking about at a young age, without waiting for the moment when they are seriously posed by life.

The last question that will surely arise before our young man is the question of love and marriage. Since people are divided into two genders, this issue is important. Sex differences force us to learn to behave in relation to the opposite sex. We will discuss the problem of love and marriage in the next chapter: now it is necessary to emphasize its connection with the problem of social adaptation. The same lack of social interest, responsible for social and business maladjustment, also affects the ability to interact with the opposite sex. It is clear that the self-centered, self-absorbed person lacks the training required for menage a deux. And it is quite possible that one of the main goals of the sexual instinct is to lure a person out of his closed shell and prepare him for life in society. However, accordingly, he can perform this function in a person who is able to forget his own “I” and become a part of something larger - which must be brought up with the help of psychology.

So, about the boy whose case we studied, we can come to the following conclusions. We observed that confronting three vital problems caused him to be confused and afraid of failure. We have also seen that in pursuit of the goal of excellence, he tried to avoid the complexity of real life for as long as possible. What will he do? He will not fit into social life, since he is antagonistic to others, suspicious and withdrawn.

Since he does not care about the opinions of others and how he looks in their eyes, he will not pay attention to his appearance and will often walk around dirty and sloppy - manifestations inherent in an unhealthy person. He will reject language, which is a social necessity for us. He may not speak at all: a trait often seen in schizophrenia.

Having fenced himself off with a wall from all questions of life, this person moves along the path leading directly to the hospital for the mentally ill. His goal of superiority contributed to hermetic isolation from others and this transformed his sexual desires, so that in this sense he is no longer a normal person either. We may find in him the belief that he is the Chinese Emperor or Jesus Christ, which is a way of realizing the goal of excellence.

Preventing and fixing errors

As we have already repeated many times, social problems lie at the heart of all life problems. We have seen that they manifest themselves in kindergarten, school, friendship, politics, economic life, and so on. It is also quite obvious that all our abilities are socially conditioned and intended to be used in public life.

We know that the lack of social adaptation is already evident in the prototype. And our challenge is how to fix this deficiency before it is too late. If parents were taught not only how to avoid serious mistakes in upbringing, but also how to diagnose the manifestations of small errors in the prototype and correct them, this would greatly improve the state of affairs in this matter. But the reality is that much cannot be achieved in this. It is quite rare that parents are inclined to learn and admit mistakes. Basically, questions of psychology and education are not of interest to them. They prefer to pamper children, and in those who do not consider their crumbs to be perfect treasures, they see personal enemies. Some parents are not interested in children at all. So little can be fixed with them. Moreover, it is impossible to give them a deep understanding of the problems in a short time. Thus, it seems much more effective to see a doctor or psychologist.

In addition to the individual work of a doctor or psychologist, which gives the best results, some of this can be achieved through school and education. Errors in the prototype often do not appear until the child goes to school. A teacher familiar with the methods of individual psychology can quickly notice these omissions: it is not difficult for him to determine whether a child has a tendency to cooperate or if he wants to become the center of attention at any cost, which of the children lacks courage, and who has it in abundance. An experienced teacher is able to understand the mistakes of the prototype already in the first week of a child's stay in school.

The teacher, by the very nature of his social function, is much more productive in correcting children's mistakes. Humanity began to organize schools precisely because the family was not capable of raising children in accordance with the social demands of life. In a sense, school is an extension of the family, and it is there that the character of the child is largely formed, and he learns to deal with the problems of life.

All this speaks of the need to equip teachers with the latest achievements of psychology, which could contribute to greater productivity of their work. In the future, schools are likely to adopt the methods of individual psychology, since their true purpose is character formation.