The Study of Semantic Constructs Reflecting the Attitude towards Nationalities and Nationalism in Juvenile Offenders

Wide distribution of xenophobia and hostility towards other nationalities among adolescents is a danger to society. The problem of relations of adolescents with illegal conduct towards nationalism and ethnic groups is poorly understood. Clarification of the nature of semantic constructs that reflect the attitude toward nationality and nationalism in juvenile offenders without nationalistic motivation, and those who have committed the crime of aggression on a national basis, is important to choose the right correction and rehabilitation work with juvenile offenders. The current study involved 62 adolescent males aged 14 to 18 years. We used color relations test as a psychosemantic technique. As a result, it was found that solidarisation with ideology of nationalism, negative attitudes towards other nationalities, and problematic gender identity formation increase the risk of delinquency on a national basis and contribute to them. At the same time, the lack of focus on the nationalism values and identification with the group of "skinheads" restrains offenses on a national basis.

1. Аminov D.I., Oganyan R.E. Molodezhnyi ehkstremizm [Youth Extremism]. Moscow: Triada, 2005, 196 p.
2. Valitskas G.S., Gippenreiter Y.B. Samootsenka u nesovershennoletnikh pravonarushitelei [Self-esteem among yuvenile offenders]. Voprosy psikhologii [Questions of psychology], 1989, no. 1, pp. 45-55.
3. Dvoryanchikov N.V., Enikolopov S.N., Sokol'skaya M.D., Fursova I.А. Tsennostnye orientatsii pravykh ehkstremistov [Value orientation of right-wing extremists]. Yuridicheskaya psikhologiya [Juridical psychology], 2010, no. 5, pp. 92-103.
4. Dvoryanchikov N.V., Syrokvashina K.V. Gendernaya identichnost' u podrostkov s delinkventnym povedeniem [Gender identity in adolescents with delinquent behavior]. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta [Vestnik St. Petersburg University], 2008, no. 12,
   pp. 222-227.
5. Dozortseva E.G. Аnomal'noe razvitie lichnosti u podrostkov s protivopravnym povedeniem [An anomalous development of personality in adolescents with unlawful behavior]. Monografiya. Moscow: GNTs SSP im. V.P. Serbskogo, 2004, 352 p.
6. Dozortseva E.G., D.S. Oshevskij, O.D. Gurina. Struktura smyslov u nesovershennoletnikh s anomaliyami psikhicheskogo razvitiya, sovershivshikh agressivno-nasil'stvennye delikty na pochve natsionalizma [The structure of the meanings of the minor anomalies mental development, committed aggressive and violent offenses on nationalism]. In Kekelidze Z.I. (eds.) Materialy 5 natsional'nogo kongressa po sotsial'noj i klinicheskoj psikhiatrii “Psikhicheskoe zdorov'e – faktor sotsial'noj stabil'nosti i garmonichnogo razvitiya obshhestva” (g. Moskva, 11-13 dekabrya 2013 g.) [Proceedings of the Fifth National Congress of Social and Clinical Psychiatry “Mental health is a factor of social stability and harmonious development of society”]. Moscow: GNTs SSP im. V.P. Serbskogo, Moscow, 2013, p. 8.
7. Enikolopov S.N., Meshkova N.V. Psikhologicheskie aspekty «prestuplenii nenavisti» [Psychological aspects of "hate crimes"]. NarCom.ru: Russkii narodnyj server protiv narkotikov [NarCom.ru: Russian folk server against drugs], 2008. Available at: http://www.narcom.ru/publ/info/757.html (Accessed 23.02.2014).
8. Kon I.S. Psikhologiya predrassudka: o sotsial'no-psikhologicheskikh kornyakh ehtnicheskikh predubezhdenii [Psychology of prejudice: on socio-psychological roots of ethnic prejudices]. Novyi mir [New world], 1961, no. 10, pp.187–205.
9. Kroz M.V., Ratinova N.А. Sotsial'no–psikhologicheskie i pravovye aspekty ksenofobii [Social-psychological and legal aspects of xenophobia]. Moscow: Academia, 2005, 40 p.
10. Leont'ev D.A. Psikhologiya smysla: priroda, stroenie i dinamika smyslovoj real'nosti [Psychology sense: nature, structure and dynamics of the meaning of reality]. Moscow: Smysl, 1999, 487 p.
11. Meshkova N.V. Issledovanie lichnostnykh i situativnykh osobennostei mezhgruppovoi predubezhdennosti [Study of personal and situational characteristics intergroup bias]. Sotsial'naya psikhologiya i obshhestvo [Social psychology and society], 2012, no. 1, pp. 73–87.
12. Meshkova N.V. Situativnye i lichnostnye osobennosti mezhgruppovoj predubezhdennosti. Аvtoref. dis. kand. psychol. nauk. [Situational and personal characteristics intergroup bias. Kand. psychol. sci. diss.]. Moscow, 2009. 23 p.
13. Oshevskii D.S. Negativnye sotsial'nye ustanovki i smyslovye konstrukty u podrostkov, sovershivshikh agressivnye protivopravnye deyaniya na natsional'noi pochve [Negative social attitudes and semantic constructs in adolescents who have committed violent criminal acts on national ground]. Yuridicheskaya psikhologiya [Juridical psychology], 2012, no. 3, pp. 30–34.
14. Oshevskii D.S. Psikhicheskoe razvitie u podrostkov s psikhicheskimi rasstroistvami, sovershivshikh agressivno-nasil'stvennye pravonarusheniya: Аvtoref. dis. kand. psychol. nauk. [Mental development of adolescents with mental disorders who have committed aggressive and violent offences. Kand. psychol. sci. diss.]. Moscow, 2006. 23 p.
15. Safuanov F.S. Аgressiya na pochve ksenofobii: problema psikhologicheskikh mekhanizmov [Aggression motivated by xenophobia: the problem of psychological mechanisms]. In Dozortseva E.G. (eds.) Sbornik nauchnykh tezisov “Profilaktika ksenofobii, ehkstremizma i natsionalizma v detskoi i podrostkovoi srede” (g. Moskva, 16 sentyabrja, 2009) [Collection of scientific theses “Prevention of xenophobia, extremism and nationalism in children and adolescents”]. Moscow: Publ. MGPPU, 2009, pp. 30-34.
16. Soldatova G.U. Psikhologiya mezhehtnicheskoi napryazhennosti [Psychology of inter-ethnic tensions]. Moscow: Smysl, 1998. 386 p.
17. Soldatova G.U., Makarchuk А.V. Mozhet li «drugoi» stat' drugom? Trening po profilaktike ksenofobii [Can the "other" to become a friend? Training on the prevention of xenophobia]. Moscow: Genezis, 2006. 256 p.
18. Huhlaev O.E., Buchek А.А., Zinurova R.I., Radina N.K., Tudupova T.TS., Hakimov EH.R. Etnonatsional'nye ustanovki i tsennosti sovremennoi molodezhi (na materiale issledovaniya studenchestva neskol'kikh regionov Rossii) [Ethnic attitudes and values of modern youth (on materials of research of the students of several regions of Russia)]. Kul'turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya [Cultural-historical psychology], 2011, no. 4, pp. 97–106.
19. Urasova E.N. Psikhologiya ksenofobii [Psychology of xenophobia]. Аktual'nye problemy nauki: IGUMO i IT kak issledovatel'skii tsentr [Actual problems of science: IGUMO and IT research center], 2014, no. 17, pp. 154–157.
20. Craig K.M. Examining hate–motivated aggression. A review of the social psychological literature on hate crimes as a distinct form of aggression. Aggression and Violent Behaviour, 2002, vol. 7, pp. 85–101.
21. Degner J., Wentura D. Automatic prejudice in childhood and early adolescence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2010, vol. 98, pp. 356–374.
22. French S.E., Seidman E., Allen L.R., Aber J.L. The development of ethnic identity during adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 2006, vol. 42, pp. 1–10.
23. Pettigrew T.F., Meertens R.W. Subtle and blatant prejudices in western Europe. European Journal of Social Psychology, 1995, vol. 57, pp. 57–75.
24. Steinberg A., Brooks J., Remtulla T. Youth hate crimes: identification, prevention, and intervention. Am J Psychiatry, 2003, vol. 160, pp. 979–989.
25. Sullaway M. Psychological perspectives on hate crime laws. Psychology, Public Policy and Law, 2004, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 250–292.
26. Wahl K. Development of Xenophobia and Aggression. International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 2002, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 247–256.
27. White F.A., Wootton B., Man J., Diaz H., Rasiah J., Swift E., Wilkinson A. Adolescent racial prejudice development: The role of friendship quality and interracial contact. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2009, vol.33, pp. 524–534.
28. Whitley Jr. B.E., Kite M.E. The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination. Second Edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth, 2009, p. 692.