Vol 17, No 1 (2020): PERSONALIТY IN ТНE CONТEХТ OF DIALOGUE OF CULТURES. FOR TAТIANA G. SТEFANENKO’S ANNIVERSARY

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The paper presents theoretical substantiation and development of the authors’ comprehensive model of intercultural competence (ICC), based on the analysis and generalization of empirical models of intercultural interaction existing in Western and Russian science. The model is based on 9 constructs: intercultural stability/sustainability, intercultural flexibility, intercultural openness, intercultural interest, absence of ethnocentrism, cultural sensitivity, intercultural empathy, management of intercultural relations, and tolerance to intercultural uncertainty. Those constructs are combined into three groups of characteristics: 1) intercultural traits; 2) attitudes and mentality features; 3) intercultural skills. Basic mechanisms by which the distinguished constructs of intercultural competence contribute to intercultural efficiency are substantiated - this is maintenance of an optimal level of sensitivity to uncertainty and an optimal level of anxiety in the process of intercultural communication. The role of each component of intercultural competence is shown. Constructs “Cultural Sensitivity”, “Intercultural Empathy”, “Management of Intercultural Relations”, “Tolerance to Intercultural Uncertainty”, and “Intercultural Flexibility” make a significant contribution to maintaining the optimal level of sensitivity to uncertainty and thereby contribute to increasing effectiveness of intercultural interaction. Such components of intercultural competence as “Intercultural Empathy”, “Intercultural Interest”, “Lack of Ethnocentrism”, “Intercultural Openness”, “Tolerance to Intercultural Uncertainty”, maintain the optimal level of anxiety, which contributes to the effectiveness of intercultural communication. It is emphasized that none of the components of the ICC is a universal predictor of the success of intercultural interaction, this effect being achieved only through an integrative combination with other ICC constructs.

International relations between China and Russia have a long-lasting history. At the same time interpersonal contacts between these two ethnic groups face difficulties associated with language, cultural distance, prejudices and other factors. This article presents a review of studies on the problem of Russian-Chinese intercultural interaction. Due to its interdisciplinary nature the studies are scattered both methodologically and with respect to its theoretical foundations. In this regard, we conditionally divide the considered works into four main areas: studying the perception of the image of Russia and China among Russians and Chinese, classification of Sino-Russian communication barriers, cross-cultural analysis of communication components, and indigenous concepts of Chinese psychology related to the process of intercultural interaction. A brief review of the modern research results gained by Russian and Chinese authors on effective communication and building trustful relationships is given. The results of studies revealing important differences at the level of verbal and non-verbal communication are presented. Particular attention is paid to cross-cultural research aimed at identifying etic and emic attributes of the situation of intercultural interaction. The most common approaches to understanding the concept of trust and its operationalization in Chinese studies are described. The importance of further studying mechanisms of building trustful relationships between representatives of the two countries is noted. In conclusion, unresolved problems and current trends in the study of intercultural communication are identified.

It is proposed that cross-cultural neuropsychology analyzes the influence of cultural variables on cognition from a neurological perspective. It includes three major questions: 1. How are current neuropsychological tests affected by the cultural conditions? (2) Are there differences in the brain organization of cognition depending upon the culture? (3) How is brain pathology manifested in different cultural contexts? A history of cross-cultural neuropsychology is presented emphasizing that the interest in cultural issues is observed since the very beginning of neuropsychology. An analysis of culture is introduced, explaining how culture has been interpreted in different ways, but can be understood as the specific way of living of a human group. Further, it is discussed why culture is important in neuropsychology, followed by an analysis of some cultural variables. Special emphasis in schooling, considering that education represents a major variable affecting the performance in diverse cognitive tests. Several illustrative examples of research in cross-cultural neuropsychology are finally presented.

The article is concerned with the problem of cross-cultural training of psychologists. The author analyses various approaches to the definition and development of intercultural competence and highlights professional and ethical problems of psychological activity related to cultural competence/incompetence of specialists. Particular attention is paid to the specifics in training psychologists for cross-cultural counselling, the experience of organising psychological work in a multi-cultural environment, using the example of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), as well as some important aspects in how psychologists develop and manifest intercultural competence during ethnopsychological field studies. An analysis of the accumulated practical experience in a multicultural environment made it possible to identify the conditions for the successful development of cross-cultural competence, setting the psychologist’s value foundations and motivational readiness to communicate with people of other cultures. These conditions include: (1) a humanistic approach in psychology; (2) a subjectsubject approach to communication; (3) formation of scientific and professional thinking; (4) purposeful development of such mechanisms of understanding other people as decentration and reflection; and (5) mastering of conflict-resolution and group-work technologies. In this regard, the author concludes that the development of intercultural competence in the domestic psychologists’ training system requires not only a detailed discussion of ethical issues related to the psychologist’s activities or specifics of cross-cultural communication within the studied disciplines, but also the introduction of special cross-cultural communication development programmes and trainings in intercultural competence and cultural sensitivity. The cross-cultural training of psychologists can be based on the working model of ethnocultural competence proposed by T.G. Stefanenko. It is emphasized that the development of intercultural competence should involve not only an individual person but the entire professional community through research and open discussion of the current state of cross-cultural competence of psychologists as well as the entire complex of ethical issues.

The paper discusses the results of a longitudinal empirical study on the types and manifestations of ethnic identity of Armenian migrants, its transformation depending on the participation/non-participation of representatives of the Armenian ethnos in the activities of the Armenian national cultural autonomy of Penza. The survey sample was formed from representatives of the Armenian ethnic group living in the Penza region: 100 during the initial diagnosis and 92 of them after the repeated diagnosis. The time period between the first and second stages of the study was 5 years. At each stage the sample included two equal subgroups: Armenian migrants who participated and did not participate in the activities of the national community. The features of ethnic identity were diagnosed by means of the Type of Ethnic Identity (TEI) technique (G.I. Soldatova and S.V. Ryzhova) and the technique for assessing the positivity and uncertainty of ethnic identity (A.N. Tatarko and N.M. Lebedeva). Student’s t -test was used for statistical data processing. The results of the study confirm the assumption that migrants who interact over a long stretch of time with their community organisation have less pronounced hyper-ethnic attitudes like ethno-egoism and ethno-isolationism. The repeated diagnosis revealed a decreasing tendency in the number of migrants in both groups with predominant positive ethnic identity and an increasing tendency in the number of migrants with ethnoindifference, which is most likely a natural reaction to their long staying in another culture and adaptation to it. The results of the study are likely to be useful in developing programs for the prevention of inter-ethnic conflicts in modern society, when it is necessary to take into account the role of national cultural autonomies in the process of migrants’ adaptation in the host society.

The article describes Tatiana G. Stefanenko’s cooperation with teachers and students of the Social and Differential Psychology Department of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), the most international university in Russia. The authors focus on contribution of T.G. Stefanenko’s contribution to the development of ethnopsychological science and practice at the RUDN University: teaching ethnopsychology, conducting intercultural competence trainings, organising joint scientific research on the intercultural adaptation of international students and other ethnopsychological problems.

The article is dedicated to the memory of Tatiana G. Stefanenko, Professor of the Department of Social Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, who made a significant contribution to ethnopsychology as well as to the training of ethnopsycologists. The focus is on her participation in developing and testing the cross-cultural communication training project and some facets of the researcher’s personality.

The article is dedicated to the memory of Tatiana G. Stefanenko, Professor of the Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, the teacher and the friend, and talking about the way she influenced and inspired the new generation of crosscultural psychologists on personal and professional levels.

The article provides a brief historical survey of the Azerbaijani school of ethnopsychological research, revealing the role of T.G. Stefanenko in its development. The authors present the results accumulated during the first years of ethnopsychological studies in Baku under the direct supervision of T.G. Stefanenko: (1) features of the ethnic identity of adolescents from Azerbaijani and Azerbaijani-Russian families; (2) cross-cultural differences in the value orientations of students living in Azerbaijan and Russia; and (3) the relationship of the time perspective and characteristics of ethnic identity among representatives of Azerbaijani and Russian cultures.