THE DYNAMICS OF PRIMARY SCHOOLCHILDREN’S VALUE-MEANING ORIENTATION

Modern economic, cultural, political and social-psychological changes in Ukrainian society, European integration and the national revival are evidence of transformational processes that cause changes in the hierarchy of values and influence young people’s value orientations. Thus, the study of modern primary schoolchildren’s value-meaning orientations is important for psychological science and pedagogical practice. The article purpose is to analyze the implemented empirical study on the hierarchy and dynamics of value-meaning orientations in the primary school age. The article describes the methodology for studying the value- meaning sphere and the essence of the concepts of “values” and “value orientations”. The value- meaning sphere is the core of a personality; it covers an individual’s value orientations and personal meanings. Value orientations are a form of inclusion of social values ​​into an individual activities and behavior; they are formed on the basis of interiorization of the society values ​​. The following methods were used in our empirical study: “Three desires” for first-year schoolchildren (L. Bozovic), “Flower - seven-colors” for second-year schoolchildren (I. Vitkovskaya) and “Unfinished sentences” for third-forth-year schoolchildren (J. Nuttin). The sample consisted of 217 primary schoolchildren in rural areas. Statistical analysis of the obtained ata was carried out using SPSS (v. 25.0). To compare the studied different classes, the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kruskal-Wallis test (H-test) were used. The hierarchy and dynamics of value orientations at primary school were studied. The upper part in the Table of Value Ranks included: material, hedonistic, nature ​​and altruistic values for first-year schoolchildren; material, family, hedonistic and altruistic values for second-year schoolchildren; altruistic, material, ego-values ​​and values ​​of learning for third-year schoolchildren; altruistic, affiliate ​​and learning values for forth-year schoolchildren. The lower part in the Table of Value Ranks included: existential, affiliate, civic, aesthetic values for first-year schoolchildren; ego-, future profession, civic and aesthetic values for second-year schoolchildren; nature, profession, civic and aesthetic values for third-year schoolchildren; profession, nature, civil and aesthetic values for forth-year schoolchildren. The statistical criteria used in the study found that the value orientations changed depending on primary schoolchildren’s age. Values, which rank increased significantly with age, were: altruistic, existential, civic, affiliate, ego- ​​and learning values. With age, ranks of such values as family, nature, profession, and hedonistic values ​​decreases statistically. The rank of material values ​​somewhat decreases with age, while the rank of aesthetic values ​​remains unchanged throughout the primary school age. They occupy the lower part in the Table of Value Ranks, which, in our opinion, indirectly indicates insufficient attention to aesthetic education, both at school and in family. Thus, the results of our research allow us to assert that primary schoolchildren’s value-semantic orientations change as for their priority ​​during primary school education. These changes are consistent with the patterns of mental development of children at this age and with the changes occurring with the approach of adolescence. Further studies on schoolchildren’s value-meaning sphere are seen in the study of the influence of the locus of control and gender characteristics on its formation, as well as the influence of family education and the media.