PSYCHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF MEANING-MAKING IN ADULTHOOD AND THE FORMATION OF MEANINGS IN THE CRISIS AND TRANSITIONAL PERIOD IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The article discusses the concept of “meaning-making” and age crises as one of the main categories of psychology, and their relationship with the humanities. Existing scientific developments do not pay enough attention to the study of conscious motives and meaning in adults. The practical relevance of this problem is determined, on the one hand, by dynamic processes in the education system, on the other hand - the need to increase life experience, improve the quality of life in general. The article presents a semantic model of the process of meaning-making. The system of meaning-making is connected with the educational system, which includes the semantic sphere. The structure of the system of meaningmaking is the interaction of objects of social development of ways of thinking, views, and cultural activities. The article also describes the concept of age crisis and how it depends on meaning-making. Age development to a new qualitatively specific stage of meaning-making is characterized by abrupt psychological changes in a person’s life. The processes and psychological features of meaningmaking of adults is studied in the current uncertainty of the social, economic, and political situation which forces a person to constantly determine their position and view of the world. The solution of this important question is primarily associated with the activity of a person’s consciousness, which is aimed at identifying the meanings of ongoing events, the constant search for new meanings on the basis of which it would be possible to determine one’s place and vital role in the changing reality. It is found that meaning-making of a personality, its clear awareness, and its reliability are determined by viability, professional, family, and age self-determination in life, which depends on an individual, their life position, sociopsychological, and social maturity and activity. Based on the empirical study, it is concluded that age largely determines the importance of life values and spheres for a person, the level of realization of value orientations, the level of motivation and the level of self-actualization of the adult personality.