Comparative study of the image of the ideal friend among schoolchildren and adolescents

Abstract. This article deals with the problem of the image of the best friend at the present time. The article presents the results of an empirical study of the image of a friend (in a zoometaphore), the relationship to friendship and the need for affiliation in primary school and adolescence. The results indicate that there are differences between the images of the ideal friend at a given age. In particular, it was revealed that the image of the ideal friend is more formed in adolescents than in younger schoolchildren.

Keywords: The image of the best friend, primary school and adolescence, friendship, attitude to friendship, the need for affiliation.

The problem of the image of the best friend is currently gaining a very significant role in the life of our society. In our time, there are socio-cultural changes that have affected the younger generation. The Internet, the development of the show industry-this led to the emergence of new ways to communicate with friends, a new understanding of friendship as such [1,2].

Friendship was thought of a long time ago, back in the days of Aristotle and Plato. Closer to the present time, questions of friendship were interested in: F. Alberoni, I. Cohn, E. V. Yurkova, E. E. Mokhova, V. A. Losenkov, A.V. Mudrik, L. Ya.Gozman, D. I. Cohn, and others [3,4].

E. E. Mokhova studied the age dynamics of ideas about a friend and friendship in primary school age. I. Kon was interested in the history of the problem of friendship development from antiquity to the present day, and also studied the psychological aspects of friendship. V. A. Losenkov studies the features of youth friendship and defines friendship as a total-personal relationship based on mutual sympathy and voluntary choice, intimate in nature, suggesting inner closeness, trust, frankness. Also T. A. Shkurko and G. V. Ryabokon studied the personal factors of friendly relations [5].

The aim of our empirical study was to study and compare the image of the ideal friend in primary school children and adolescents.

We have suggested that the image of the ideal friend in primary school and adolescence is different.

To achieve the goal and test our hypothesis, we used the following Belgorod methods: "Association test", the questionnaire "Attitude to friendship" and the method "Need for affiliation" by A. Mehrabyan in the modification of M. Sh. Magomed-Eminov.

The study was conducted on the scientific basis of the state municipal budget educational institution MBOU "Gymnasium No. 2" in Belgorod. The study involved students in grades 4 "B" and 6 "D". The total number of participants was 40 schoolchildren.

Now we turn to the questionnaire to analyze the hypotheses of the results. Initially, we compared the subjects ' ideas about the image (in the zoometaphore) (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Ideas about the image of the ideal friend in primary school children and adolescents (in the zoometaphore)

In this diagram, for all three scales, it can be observed that the results of the responses of adolescents are higher than those of younger schoolchildren. This may be due to the fact that a teenager's relationship with a friend is becoming more and more adult. Teenagers were more likely than younger students to draw animals such as dogs, cats, and hares. This helps us to conclude that such qualities as loyalty, affection, and kindness are important for students in an ideal friend.

Next, we will consider the ideas about the image of a real friend in primary school and adolescence (in the zoometaphore) (Fig. 2).

Figure 2. Representations of the image of a real friend in primary school and adolescence (in the zoometaphore)

On the first scale, you can see that most teenagers have the image of the ideal friend coincided with the image of the real one, they drew more cats. Younger students also have drawings of cats, as well as dogs, but in total their number is still less than that of teenagers. This leads to the conclusion that children in adolescence value their real friends more and see them as an ideal.

The second scale shows that younger students see their real friend in the image of a parrot more often than teenagers. This may mean that they have such qualities: imitation of others, demanding attention, talkativeness or excessive sociability.

The following diagram shows us the idea of the image of the anti-ideal friend in primary school and adolescence (in the zoometaphore) (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. The image of the anti-ideal friend in primary school and adolescence (in the zoometaphore)

Consider the rows of primary school children. For them, the anti-ideal of a friend is associated with hissing, biting snakes, worms, and pigs. In the drawings, children depict them with large teeth, stinging tongues, which characterizes verbal aggression, in most cases — defensive (snapping/bullying, rude in response to a negative appeal to him, condemnation, censure). The ranks of teenagers are at a lower level compared to younger students, there are also drawings of wolves with pronounced verbal aggression.

Children and adolescents are characterized by a drawing of a drawn mouth of a rounded shape (fearfulness, anxiety).

Thus, we can conclude that in adolescence, children are more attentive to their friends.

Next, we compared the results of the subjects according to the following method – "Questionnaire for identifying attitudes to friendship". This questionnaire allowed us to compare the levels of attitudes to friendship of primary school students and adolescents. After systematization and analysis of the obtained data, it is possible to make a graphic image of the indicators obtained as a result of the research (Fig. 4.).

Figure 4. Attitude towards friendship among younger students and adolescents

In this diagram, we can see that the younger students are at the upper limit of the average level of attitude to friendship. Teenage students are at a high level. This may be due to the fact that in adolescence, friendship begins to occupy the first place in the lives of schoolchildren. At this age, children are more sensitive to their friends, more often begin to enjoy success, keep trust and respect the inner world of friends.

Thus, we can say that at the highest level of attitude to friendship are schoolchildren of teenage age. At the same time, the level of attitude to friendship in children of primary school age occupies the upper limit of the average value. This also allows us to conclude that at this age, children value friendship and their friends.

The following method was used to diagnose the need for affiliation of A. Mehrabyan in the modification of M. Sh. Magomed-Eminov. It is designed to diagnose two generalized stable motivators that are part of the structure of affiliation motivation — the need for acceptance (to people) (NA) and the fear of rejection (FR). After systematization and analysis of the obtained data, it is possible to make a graphical representation of the indicators obtained as a result of the research (Fig. 5).

Figure 5. The need for affiliation in primary school and adolescence

The diagram clearly shows the differences between the scales in primary school and adolescence. According to the scale of primary school students, it can be concluded that the total number of points on both scales is approximately equal and is at an average level. This means that students have expressed, but not explicitly, the need for acceptance. On the scale of adolescents, we observe the opposite picture: the sum of the points on the scale of the need for acceptance (to people) (NA) is less than that on the scale of fear of rejection (FR). This indicates that the students expressed the motive of "fear of rejection". Such results may indicate the age characteristics of adolescence. It can also be related to the fear of responsibility, the fear of the unknown. After all, friendship and communication is a complex mechanism in which a person's responsibility does not suddenly appear. It is developed over the years, from the earliest childhood. Responsibility is not only freedom, choice, but also the consequences that follow this choice.

Thus, we can conclude that on average, adolescents express "fear of rejection", which is associated with such reasons as age characteristics, closeness. Younger students find it easier to find a common language with their peers, they are open to communication.

Summing up, we can make a general conclusion that the image of the ideal friend in adolescents is more formed than in younger schoolchildren. For them, he is a support and support, for better or for worse, but at the same time they are less open to communication, closed to new acquaintances, it is better for them to sit at home than to spend time in a new company. For younger students, on the contrary, they are ready for everything new, but for them, the ideal friend is just any good person. Also at the highest level of attitude to friendship are schoolchildren of teenage age. At the same time, the level of attitude to friendship in children of primary school age occupies the upper limit of the average value. This also allows us to conclude that children in adolescence value friendship and their friends a little more.