Information on the thesis

The thesis presents the results of research on the spiritual values of the student
youth in modern Ukrainian society. The basic conceptual approaches in understanding and
interpreting the values in socio-humanistic sciences have been systematized, including in
sociology on the basis of the multi-paradigm approach and proceeding from the
structuralistic perspective, completed by a number of consistent rules of the theory of
social changes, the concept of cultural trauma and the sociology of everyday life of
P. Shtompka. The place and significance of value problems in the sociological study of
globalization and transformation process have been considered.
Systematically, the sociological discourse of the analysis of the concept of
«spiritual values», which provides for its consideration in the personal, group, activity-
regulatory, ideological and civilizational-cultural levels, has been conducted. Thereafter,
the author’s definition of spiritual values as a system consisting of principles, regulations,
beliefs, ideas, which prompts a person to self-improvement, world-view efforts aimed at
creating their own vital position, personal social space on the ground of a cultural-
civilization progress of mankind, has been proposed.
The structuring of values has been implemented taking into account their subjects-
bearers, in which capacity a person, social group / community, society, and mankind act.
Taking into account the micro-, meso-, macro- and mega-level factors, a hierarchical
structure of spiritual values has been proposed, which involves their division into spiritual
values of personal order, spiritual values of group order, socially significant and universal
human spiritual values. There is also a number of denotative meanings in the analysis of
spiritual values, which envisages their consideration as a personal feature, as work and
human activity, as regulations and corresponding principles, as the attitude towards
yourself and others, as a guide, as an asset and an element of culture, as a means of
upbringing, as the spiritual human world and his worldview.
The further development of views on the complex of regulatory factors that have
the greatest influence on the formation of the spiritual values of the student youth in the
conditions of modern Ukrainian society has been realized. Such factors, based on the
research carried out, first of all, include the closest environment of a young person (family,
friends, comrades, beloved person), his / her own efforts on this path, the Internet and
social networks, as well as educational institution and religion.
The thesis proposes a typology of personality regarding the involvement in the
problems of spirituality. Empirically, there are three personality types «spiritual passive»
(the representatives of this type almost have no interest in the problems of spirituality),
«spiritual potential» (think about the problems of inner peace and the meaning of life) and
«spiritual and active» (tends to improve their inner world and to help others permanently,
clearly understands the meaning of their lives, aimed at self-improvement and constant
spiritual development).
The obtained empirical data and the analysis allowed to determine the role of
education, the environment of a higher educational institution in the professional and
spiritual development of the student youth. According to students’ opinion, today the
higher educational institution should not only provide students with the necessary
knowledge, but also educate them as well-developed personalities with a high level of
spirituality. Thus, the influence of the teacher’s personality, the environment of the higher
educational institution on the spirituality (spiritual values) of the student youth has been
analyzed separately, and the students’ opinion on the role of the tutor in the educational
process has been analyzed. On the basis of the implemented applied researches, the ways
of raising the level of development of spiritual values of students, which can be introduced
into the educational process, have been proposed.
Key words: values, spirituality, spiritual values, structural-functional paradigm,
young students, higher education, environment of a higher educational institution.