Involvement of adolescents in the search for behavioural patterns for harmonious interaction with the surrounding world as a factor of an individual’s spiritual development

The research is relevant due to the solution of the scientifi c and pedagogical problem which is connected with the study of spirituality and the development of an adolescent’s behaviour on its basis. The problem is solved by involving teenagers in mastering behavioural patterns. The article substantiates the conception the study. It consists in understanding the mechanisms of the higher laws of being. In this case not only understanding, but also building one’s life in accordance with these laws and the laws of goodness, leads to the realization of the following idea: the planned things are carried out naturally, which indicates harmonious interaction with the surrounding world. It is noted that spirituality and morality are not identical, but their similarity is determined by the focus on the development and regulation of the relations with the surrounding world “from within”. The purpose of the study is to identify pedagogical tools that contribute to the activated development of adolescents’ consciousness based on spirituality. The research hypothesizes that if we bring teenagers to understanding the fundamentals of the organizing power peculiar to the laws of the universe, and if we equip them with appropriate behavioural patterns, then, as a result of the accumulated experience, teenagers will be able to interact harmoniously with the outside world and to achieve maximum success in everyday life. The sample of the research included teenage schoolchildren (N = 52) (Astrakhan) aged 14–15. The research methods comprise the methodology of ‘Value orientations’ (by M. Rokich), the ‘Unfi nished Sentence’ technique, and a clarifying conversation aimed at fi nding out the peculiarities of understanding spiritual and moral values by adolescents and at identifying their relationships with the surrounding world. Results. On the basis of qualitative changes in the results of the pedagogical experiment, the study proves the signifi cance of involving adolescents in the search for behavioural patterns of harmonious interaction with the outside world. The results also confi rm the necessity of such search as a factor of the individual’s spiritual development. Conclusions. The study concludes that the use of the training sessions ‘The Art of Social Communication’ has contributed to the activated involvement of adolescents in the search for behavioural patterns for harmonious interaction with the surrounding world.

spiritual development, spirituality, morality, the art of social behaviour, meaningful guidelines of behaviour, behavioural patterns