DETERMINING SOCIAL SECURITY OF THE PERSON IN THE REGION: INFORMATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Abstract

The significance of this research is that the developing information society poses increasing threats to social security of the person, associated with the dissemination information that is may be harmful to both the individual’s life and development and the surrounding society. Immediate threat comes from cyberspace. In this regard, research has so far focused on the informational and psychological aspects of the individual’s security, whereas indicators for assessing them have not yet been fully analyzed. This article aims to examine the informational and psychological aspects of social security of the person in Kemerovo Oblast. Indicators for assessing social security of the person were discussed. The 3,000 respondents included university, college and high school students residing in Kemerovo Oblast, since this portion of society is most easily influenced and psychologically unstable. A survey and regional monitoring data on extremist manifestations were used to identify the types of threats and to assess their influence on the individual. An assessment was made of the indicators of social security of the person in terms of psychological and informational aspects. Information provided on the official websites of federal and regional authorities and of the Federal Security Service in Kemerovo Oblast as well as relevant theoretical research studies were used to determine the level of social protection of the public in the region. The results of the study identified the following psychological and informational threats to social security of the person: mind control, incitement to extremism, promotion of false ideas and values, misinformation, defamation and presentation of false facts about Russian history. Overall, social security of the person was determined as satisfactory in the region. The impact of the mentioned threats on the individual, albeit not a significant one, has nonetheless potential for growth. Social security of the person in the region was found to be sufficiently high to control and constrain the extremist behaviors and manifestations without, however, preventing them. This necessitates developing more effective measures for working with the population, including the young people, which are aimed at forming protection mechanisms in the person’s mind. The materials of this article are of practical value for conducting related research in other regions and for putting forward recommendations with respect to ensuring social security of the person in the discussed aspects.