Abstract: The authors focus on the phenomenon of perceived age and the ethno-cultural factor of its construction. The subject of the study is: the perceived age of the objects of perception, attitude to them, self-assessment of age and attitude to their appearance of the subjects of perception (women, representatives of Slavic and Caucasian peoples). The study was carried out within the framework of a socio-psychological approach to the appearance and model of ethnolucism by V.A. Labunskaya. The main method of research was the procedure of "Photo-visual representations of the external appearance" by T.A. Vorontsova. The scientific novelty of the study was the identification of the influence of the ethno-cultural factor on the construction of the age of an unfamiliar person and the assessment of their age. The main conclusions of the study: 1) the belonging of the subjects of perception to an ethnocultural group associated with the type of appearance affects the self-esteem of the perceived age, the planned life expectancy, the attitude towards unfamiliar others; 2) the age attributed to the perceived stranger is associated with the attitude towards him regardless of the ethno-cultural group; 3) the structure of the perception of the age of an unfamiliar other is identical from the point of view of the central and peripheral categories and does not depend on the ethno-cultural factor.

Keywords: age stigmatization, ethnic factor, ageism, social perception, appearance, age construction, age perception, perceived age, age, women

Abstract: The current state of psychological research of ethnic tolerance in the youth environment is considered. Despite the existence of a certain degree of elaboration of the concept of ethnic tolerance in psychological literature and periodicals, the practical implementation of the study of the level of ethnic tolerance in various social strata and public entities is insufficient. The results of empirical research provide a real picture of the state of interethnic relations in this environment and provide grounds for practical measures to resolve possible conflict situations and harmonize interaction on an interethnic basis by uniting various ethnic groups in society. The purpose of the article is to empirically determine the level of ethnic tolerance among students of higher education institutions, to determine the level of its components, to establish links between tolerance and ethnic identity of respondents, to determine the prospects for further research.   The results of an empirical study of ethnic tolerance among young people indicate that a person's tolerance to representatives of other ethnic groups is associated with awareness of belonging to their own ethnic group, that is, with a positively established ethnic identity. The vast majority of young people who have a normal level of ethnic identity, an average or high level of tolerance in general, they also have developed ethnic and social tolerance. Among the factors forming the appropriate level of ethnic tolerance, first of all, it is necessary to name the characteristics of the individual, the influence of the conditions of the social environment in which ethnic interaction is carried out, the presence of the practice of interethnic communication. A balanced State social and ethnic policy, especially in the field of education, should support and form a positive dynamic of interaction between different ethnic groups.

Keywords: social tolerance, students, ethnic identity, interethnic interaction, youth environment, ethnic group, ethnic tolerance, Ethnic isolation, tolerance, young people

Abstract: The present article is devoted to the phenomenon of burn-out in the process of cross-cultural communication. The purpose of the research is to study the phenomenon of burn-out in the process of cross-cultural communication. In his research Larin introduces a new theoretical construct - burn-out caused by cross-cultural communication or 'cross-cultural burn-out'. He has also tested a new inventory to analyse burn-out caused by cross-cultural communication. Based on the results of his research, the author has developed two scales for measuring the level of cross-cultural burn-out and evaluation system to measure the general cross-cultural burn-out factor. In addition, the author has also applied such methods as questionnaire survey, scaling and testing (MBI - Maslach Burnout Inventory - adapted by Vodopyanova and the author's Cross-Cultural Burn-Out Inventory). The article presents the results of testing the Cross-Cultural Burn-Out Inventory and data received by the author based on that test. Based on the results of his research, Larin has defined two cross-cultural burn-out factors that relate to burn-out indicators. To measure the general level of cross-cultural burn-out, the author has developed an integrative index of cross-cultural burn-out that has a high correlation with all burn-out indicators described by Maslach. 

Keywords: burn-out, communication, environment, 'emotional fatigue', professional, psychological, teachers, multicultural, cross-cultural, emotional

Abstract: The article deals with the problem of an ethnic group as interpreted by the evolutional concept of culture. Almost for two centuries cultural anthropology has been studying man. In its interpretation, the world of human being appears to be an expression of ethnographic factors. In the middle of the past century the concept of cultural evolutionism took shape. Its outstanding representative was Leslie A. White (1900-1975). He was an active participant of theoretical discussions of the middle of the 20th century. In 1949 a book of his essays was published in which he discussed not only general problems of culture but also the role of ethnic groups in interpretation of cultural dynamics. The book contained selected essays that defended evolutionary theory of cultural development (he united them in Part I), several works where Leslie A. White introduced his concept of culture (part II) and articles dealing with particular problems of anthropology (parts III-VI). With some exceptions, the composition of the book belongs to L. White. All works except for the two – «Satellites and Gods; or the Press, the Clergy, and an Anthropologist» and «Anthropological Approaches to Religion» (1957) – had been published before in journals and books, many of which are currently hard to get. Together they give a complete idea of the creative method and concept in general.For the past century there were the following three fundamental methods of explaining cultural changes – historical, structural-functional and evolutional ones – that were engaged in dispute on the scientific arena. Each of them, as it is shown in the article, reflected one of the aspects of cultural dynamics or one of the levels of the cultural process or subprocess.The novelty of the article is related to the analysis of the problem of an ethnic group in the evolutionary concept of culture. The author critically reviews the main ideas of this ethnological essay and shows that it is possible to reveal the specificity of an ethnic group as a phenomenon only within the framework of the philosophical-anthropological discourse. Understanding of human nature permits to deeper and more fundamentally understand an ethnic group as a constructive idea.

Keywords: ethnology, evolution, method, anthropology, man, ethnic group, culture, philosophy, structure, psychology

Abstract: In this paper the author considers the peculiarities of the treatment of women in connection with the ethno-religious characteristics of the processing of their appearance (for example hijab). The object of the study were 56 people (30 women and 26 men) aged 18 to 30 years (mean age 27 years), residents of the city of Rostov-on-Don. This age group was chosen due to the fact that young people are most susceptible to influence and manipulation group. The study used Cook-Medley hostility scale (method translated and adapted Yu.A.Mendzheritskoy), as well as the author's questionnaire, which consisted of stimulus material (2 sets of photographs - the 5 girls in first case was a portrait shot from the front with natural make-up, a second set - the same girl, but in black hijab), respondents were asked to assess the attitude of the girls represented in the photographs on a scale from friendly to hostile. Based on the results we can say that the level of aggression can lead to a negative, hostile attitude towards the Muslim girl (based solely on the design of external appearance), moreover men were more likely rated their attitude to the girls in hijab as a more hostile.

Keywords: aggressiveness, hostility, Islam, psychology of attitude, design of external appearance, appearance, social psychology, hijab, friendliness, discrimination

Abstract: The author of the article describes the key features of terrorism that reveal this phenomenon in terms of globalization of modern information security risks, threats and challenges. The author provides results of linguistic researches and expertise of public and media discourse on terrorism and also analyzes practices using the words ‘terrorism’, ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorize’ both in direct and figurative meanings. In this regard the author also analyzes the issues of transformation of the commonsense under the influence of particular mediadiscursive practices. The author also discusses some results and consequences of the ‘discursive pressure’ and ‘informational aggression’ and analyzes social images of terrorism created by the commonsense. The author also shares the results of the empiric research that was conducted by the author for the purpose of studying images of the terrorist actors (terror leaders, perpetrators, male and female suiciders) presented by the university students of the southern Russian region. The author summarizes and compares data and makes conclusions about psychological consequences of terrorist aggression as well as their prolonged influence on the individual and public minds. In conclusion the author focuses on the need to activate informational anti-terrorism and to develop social, psycholinguistic and public communications aimed at counteracting the extremist ideology and establishing anti-terrorist values in the Russian society.

Keywords: society, terrorism, information, public communications, social images, discourse, mediadiscourse, commonsense, influence, counteraction.

Abstract: Modern social culture is full of clichés and communication stereotypes. The nature of communication within the social and cultural environment has become especially important under the conditions of the expansion of electronic interactive mass media. Based on the research of the Russian and English languages, the author of the present research article analyzes idiom as a phraseological unit, established expression and a cultural and social phenomenon that is viewed by the author as the reflection of the national character. This phenomenon is view as a universal of modern everyday communication. The fact that idiom is a popular phenomenon proves that modern societies have a rather stereotyped thinking. Idioms highlight the most acute social issues of everyday life and are used to describe the most important fragments of social and economic reality. In her research article the author describes the experiment on social comuting using the statuses of the dating social network ‘Twoo’ in English and Russian. The author records universal features of phraseologisation and formalization of modern narratives. Certain vocabulary and grammar patterns significantly reduce the time that is usually spent on verbal formulation of ideas (which is, in fact, manifestation of the organism’s functions of defense and adjustment to today’s changing living conditions) that reflects the increasing pace of the change of events in everyday life. The results of the present research can be used during lectures on philosophy of culture and cultural studies. The results of the research were also used to create the data base that was rewarded with the Certificate of the Russian Agency for Patents and Trademarks No. 2013620397 dated March 13, 2013.

Keywords: globalization, everyday life, national character, phraseological unit, idiom, philosophy, communication, universal, social network, formalization.

Abstract: The author of the article makes an attempt to describe the probable model of ethnic extremism from the point of view of the socio-synergetic approach. The author of the present research article had different reasons to study ethnic extremism from the point of view of the socio-synergetic approach. The first group of her reasons includes the processes that are going on in the society and government now. The second group of reasons is caused by the multiplicity of characteristics, types and forms of this phenomenon. In particular, synergetic methods apply to studying systems (phenomena) consisting of a great number of elements (forms or characteristics), components and subsystems. To describe the synergetic model of ethnic extremism, the author of the article analyzes social images describing this phenomenon. Research methods used by the author include: association method, content analysis and semantic differential followed by the creation of mental maps. The scientific importance of the research is the description of the probable model of ethic extremism made by the researcher based on the socio-synergetic approach. Conclusions: the model offered by the author allows to describe the essential characteristics of the aforesaid phenomenon, in particular, intolerance, terror, dogmatism and nihilism as the factor structure of ethnic extremism. The contents of these factors reflect only subjective concepts of ethnic extremism and of course, these concepts can only partly model the phenomenon. The author makes an assumption that this model allows to describe ethnic extremism by the means of particular features typical for socio-synergetic systems.

Keywords: socio-synergetic model, ethnic extremism, social images, intolerance, terror, dogmatism, nihilism, semantic differential, factors.

Abstract: Anthropological approach plays one of the most important roles in modern researches on Japan and Japanese society and especially in so called theories “Nihondzin ron” and “Nihon bunka ron” (theories on Japanese ethno-psychological and cultural distinguishing features). Today’s Japanese society is viewed by many researchers as something completely different from other societies because despite similar levels of overall development in Japan and other advanced capitalist countries, the former has a higher potential for socio-cultural development. So called “Japanese personality” is a very important anthropological element of such socio-cultural potential. Today Japanese studies offer three approaches to interpreting the phenomenon of Japanese personality: westernizing and modernizing approach that focuses on development of individual personality in Japanese society, uniqueness-based approach that views Japanese personality as a result of Japanese cultural and social development and Japan-oriented approach that considers Japanese society and its socio-cultural potentials as the model to be followed by other countries because this model, in particular, such personal identity, satisfies the requirements of the “future society” defined by researchers as the “post-industrial society”, “culture epoch society” or “alternative society” and “information society”.

Keywords: psychology, culture, enlightenment, identity, social development, modernization, anthropology, personality, sociocultural, Japanese.