Features of Educational and Developmental Activity of Students Under Forced Self-Isolation

Abstract

The paper analyses differences in the expression and determination of the educational and developmental activity of students in everyday life and under forced social isolation. The study was conducted on a sample of young students (N=338) aged 16—25 years (M=19.9; SD=2.1), 63.9% female. The following methods were used: the authors’ questionnaire aimed at identifying the intensity of educational and developmental activity in different life conditions; the technique “Activity of personality under forced social restrictions” (by N.V. Usova, I.V. Arendachuk, M.A. Klenova); the technique “Assessment of mental activation, interest, emotional tonus, tension and comfort” (by L.A. Kurgansky, T.A. Nemchin). The study found that under self-isolation the educational and developmental activity of students is higher than in ‘normal’ life. The paper also shows how various psychological features determine such activity. The less the students under self-isolation display educational and developmental activity, the more it is due to reactions of frustration and is further compensated by the transfer of activity to family relationships. Those students who display high educational and developmental activity tend to be more confident of having control over their life. They focus on professional development, recreation and entertainment. More or less, the display of educational and developmental activity of students greatly depends on their psychological and emotional states.