Self-preservation behavior as a concept and its structure

Recent events have highlighted the unpreparedness of government authorities and population in many countries to overcome crisis situations associated with the spread of diseases. The main problems are related to the insufficient level of development of strategies and tactics of self-preservation behavior of citizens that determines the relevance of the study. The aim of the article is to study approaches to understanding self-preservation behavior as a concept and its structure. The authors of the article used methods of analysis, generalization, and synthesis when working with theoretical sources. They also used the method of comparative analysis when comparing approaches to understanding the concept of self-preservation behavior and its structure. The modeling method also found its application in this study. The analysis allows the authors to conclude that self-preservation behavior is an important and integral part of social behavior, it can be understood as a conscious behavior of the individual, aimed at maintaining optimal parameters of biological, psychological, and social health, minimizing objectively existing threats and subjectively perceived risks. In the structure of self-preservation behavior one can conditionally distinguish cognitive (including self-assessment of health, goals, and attitudes), motivationalvalue, affective (motivation), behavioral (system of health-saving actions), and reflexive (result control) components. At the same time, the leading role in the formation of self-preservation behavior is assigned to the motivational-value component, the perception of health as an existential value. The results of this study can be used to develop a reminder or checklist on self-preservation behavior.