SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL PORTRAIT OF POLES AND UKRAINIANS IN TIMES OF WAR (COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS)

Abstract

The article provides a theoretical and methodological analysis of the issue of interethnic perception. It describes the psychological mechanisms of attributing personality traits as an element of the system of ethnic stereotypes used during interethnic interactions. The article highlights the results of analytical research conducted by Ukrainian and Polish scholars on the issue of studying the psychological image of «Poles» and «Ukrainians» within the framework of the worldview concepts held by representatives of these two ethnic groups. During the period from 1991 to 2022, significant shifts occurred in the psychological perceptions of Ukrainians and Poles regarding their own identification and ethnic solidarity with other ethnic and national groups. At the individual level, Ukrainians tend to attribute common positive personality traits to Poles. Our study included individuals who had experience interacting with Poles on the territory of the Republic of Poland, as well as those who did not have such experience. The aim of the study was to determine what changes occurred in the system of psychosemantics in interpersonal perception during the period of full-scale Russian invasion into the country. These changes were driven by a sharp increase in the number of individuals who had personal experiences of interpersonal interactions with Poles. As a result, the influence of pre-existing stereotypes of Poles on the strategy of interaction with them became limited. In our research, we used the semantic differentiation methodology for personality traits and searched for correlational connections between the level of expression of individual personality traits in Ukrainians and Poles. According to the research results, there was no statistically significant difference in the ratings of personality attribute attribution between individuals who had experience interacting with Poles and those who did not (relying on stereotypes of interethnic perception). The participants attributed positive personality traits and rated their development highly, both in Ukrainians and Poles. Negative personality traits were attributed by the participants as elements of interpersonal differentiation. Therefore, we can conclude that there is a positive identification between Ukrainians and Poles at the level of positive personality traits and differentiation at the level of negative personality traits.