The Case of Politization of Mass Conscience as a Psychological Research Object

Abstract

There are analyzed the basic approaches to the definition of the concept of “politicization”, as well as understanding the boundaries of the “political” as one of the main categories of political analysis. There are described the main characteristics of the politicization process, its features and results, the characteristics of hyperpolylated and depoliticized consciousness are singled out. Politics is presented as a global and inclusive force that is able to penetrate other areas of public practice, to solve its pressing problems. It is noted that the surrounding reality is perceived by a human through the political prism and that at the level of consciousness it manifests itself through the ability and readiness to interpret the changes that take place around (as well as the lack of changes), through the prism of political interests. Attention is also drawn to the growth in society of the level of interest in politics and political activity (one should also take into account the manifestations of absenteeism and other forms of protest against the current socio-political situation). The emphasis is made on theories that can be used as a methodological basis for further psychological research. An attempt was made to theoretical comprehension of the possibilities and prospects of the study of politicization of mass consciousness within the psychological analysis. It is revealed that key indicators of politicization of conscience are: features of the image of politics, political interest and political participation. There is generalized the definition of politicization at the level of mass and individual conscience as "the presence of politics in the minds and mood of ordinary citizens"; as an opportunity to give any act or event a political assessment if desired. It is concluded that the politicization of mass conscience is an insufficiently researched problem in psychology, and the variants of further scientific searches in this direction are proposed.