Recieved: 05/16/2022
Accepted: 06/07/2022
Published: 08/24/2022
Keywords: ethical behavior; moral development; subjective attitude; preschool age; preschool education programme
p.: 69-76
DOI: 10.11621/npj.2022.0309
Available online: 24.08.2022
Irina A. Burlakova. E.O. Smirnova on moral education of children. // National Psychological Journal 2022. 3. p.69-76. doi: 10.11621/npj.2022.0309
Copied to Clipboard
Copy
Objective. The article is devoted to E.O. Smirnova’s approach to the problem of upbringing in preschool, which was presented in her few works in the beginning of the 2000’s.
Results. E.O. Smirnova’s views on the psychological foundations of moral education of preschoolers are based on the theoretical provisions of M.I. Lisina about the dual basis of interpersonal relationships between children — the object and the subject. Genuine moral behaviour is conditioned by the predominance of the subjective basis in the relationship to a peer, which is based on the perception of the other as a self-valuable person. The balance between the two bases or the predominance of the subjective basis in interpersonal relations serves as the foundation for ethical behavior, but not for moral one. According to the views of E.O. Smirnova, in this case, children tend to follow ethical norms and rules, though only in specific situations when their behavior can be positively evaluated by peers or adults. Such ethical behavior is aimed at self-affirmation of the child and increase in their self-esteem. Subject attitude towards a peer contributes to the transfer of ethical norms and rules into the real behaviour of the child. Following rules acquires the character of value: child cannot act otherwise. As L.S. Vygotsky wrote: “The one who does not notice that he is acting morally acts morally.”
Conclusions. The theoretical approach to the problem of moral behavior in preschoolers served the basis for experimental work carried out under the guidance of E.O. Smirnova. The study proved that to ensure genuine moral behavior the sense of communion and fellowship with others should become central issue in the upbringing of children. This process involves removing fixation on themselves and their assessments, i.e., forming subjective attitude towards peers and adults.
Practical application of the results. The obtained results were used in practical work — a correctional and developmental programme aimed at providing a “special vision of the other” through the experience of living within a community and involvement with each other in real interaction was developed. Elena Olegovna Smirnova’s idea about the formation of subjective relationships as the main psychological condition of moral education might expand the possibilities of this approach application and extend it beyond the interpersonal relationships of children and their interaction with other people. “The understanding of moral behavior is extremely expanding, because we acquire the right to talk not only about moral behavior in the narrow sense of the word, but also about the moral attitude to things, to oneself, to one’s body, etc.” (L.S. Vygotsky).
Education of moral feelings in older preschoolers: a book for a kindergarten teacher (1989). In A.M. Vinogradovа (Eds.). M.: Prosveshchenie. (In Russ.).
Vygotsky, L.S. (2005). Pedagogical psychology. M.: AST. (In Russ.).
Zaporozhets, A.V., Neverovich, Ya.Z. (1974). On the question of the genesis, function and structure of emotional processes in a child. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of Psychology), 6, 59–74. (In Russ.).
Lisina, M.I. (1997). Communication, personality and psyche of a child. M.: Institut prakticheskoi psikhologii. (In Russ.).
Lisina, M.I. (1986). Problems of ontogenesis of communication. M.: Pedagogika. (In Russ.).
Interpersonal relationships of a child from birth to seven years. (2001). In E.O. Smirnova (Eds.). M., Voronezh: MODEK. (In Russ.).
Moral education in kindergarten: a manual for educators. (1984). In V.G. Nechaeva, T.A. Markova (Eds.). M.: Prosveshchenie. (In Russ.).
Moral and labor education of children in kindergarten. (1987). In R.S. Bure (Eds.). M.: Prosveshchenie. (In Russ.).
Development of social emotions in preschool children: psychological research (1986). In A.V. Zaporozhec, Ya.Z. Neverovich (Eds.). M.: Pedagogika. (In Russ.).
Smirnova, E.O. (2006). Course materials “Moral and ethical development of preschoolers”: lectures 1–4. M.: Pedagogicheskij universitet “Pervoe sentyabrya”. (In Russ.).
Smirnova, E.O. (2019). The specifics of modern preschool childhood. Natsional’nyy psikhologicheskiy zhurnal (National Psychological Journal), 2 (2), 34, 25–32. (In Russ.).
Smirnova, E.O., Rakhimova, U. (2011). Interpersonal relationships of preschoolers and story game. Sovremennoe doshkol’noe obrazovanie. Teoriya i praktika (Modern preschool education: theory and practice), 6, 16–24. (In Russ.).
Smirnova, E.O., Kholmogorova, V.M. (2001). Correlation of direct and indirect motivators of moral behavior of children. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of Psychology), 1, 26–36. (In Russ.).
Smirnova, E.O. (2007). Psychological foundations of moral education of preschoolers. Psykholog v detskom sadu (Psychologist in kindergarten), 2, 81–92. (In Russ.).
Subbotskii, E.V. (2010). The genesis of personality: theory and experiment. M.: Smysl. (In Russ.).
Subbotskii, E.V. (1978). The genesis of moral behavior in preschoolers. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta (Bulletin of the Moscow University), 3, 13–26. (In Russ.).
Subbotskii, E.V. (1983). Moral development of a preschooler. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of Psychology), 4, 29–39. (In Russ.).
Subbotskii, E.V. (1979). Formation of moral action in a child. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of Psychology), 3, 47–56. (In Russ.).
Yakobson, S.G. (1985). Adequate self-esteem as a condition for moral education of preschoolers. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of Psychology), 3, 55–61. (In Russ.).
Yakobson, S.G. (1979). Analysis of psychological mechanisms of regulation of ethical behavior in children. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of Psychology), 1, 38–49. (In Russ.).
Yakobson, S.G. (1989). Self-image and moral behavior of preschoolers. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of Psychology), 6, 34–42. (In Russ.).
Yakobson, S.G. (1984). Psychological problems of ethical development of children. M.: Pedagogika. (In Russ.).
Yakobson, S.G. (1982). The role of subjective attitude to ethical standards in the regulation of moral behavior of preschoolers. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of Psychology), 1, 40–50. (In Russ.).
Yakobson, S.G. (1984). Psychological problems of ethical development of children. M.: Pedagogika. (In Russ.).
Irina A. Burlakova. E.O. Smirnova on moral education of children. // National Psychological Journal 2022. 3. p.69-76. doi: 10.11621/npj.2022.0309
Copied to Clipboard
Copy