No 5 (2025)

The subject of the research is the use of synthetic focus groups (SFG), created using large language models (LLM), within the framework of the digital transformation of sociological analysis. The object of the research is innovative methods for collecting and interpreting qualitative data, aimed at simulating group discussions without the participation of real respondents. The article discusses the heuristic potential of SFG, the possibilities of applying the method in conditions of limited access to respondents, and its relevance for studying attitudes toward artificial intelligence in the field of higher education. Special attention is paid to the ways of organizing interaction with language models through a system of prompts, the formation of participant roles, and the analysis of the obtained discursive positions. The article also addresses the ethical and methodological challenges arising from the use of synthetic participants for research purposes. The methodology combines theoretical analysis of scientific publications with practical modeling of SFG, implemented through sequential prompts to language models and subsequent interpretation of the generated data. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the testing of the synthetic focus group (SFG) method as an innovative tool for collecting qualitative information using generative language models (LLM) such as Gemini, Qwen, Llama, Deepseek, and Mistral. The study pays particular attention to modeling SFG based on user prompts aimed at exploring the attitudes of students and faculty toward artificial intelligence in the higher education system. All models used emphasized the methodological limitations of SFG: the possibility of data distortion, the necessity of clearly indicating the synthetic nature of the participants, and the need to complement such studies with traditional methods. Such methods can be useful in situations requiring rapid hypothesis generation, preliminary testing of research scenarios, as well as in educational and expert practice. At the same time, the necessity of a critical approach to the use of SFG is emphasized, especially in the context of the validity and representativeness of the obtained data.

The subject of the study is the practices of social and psychological rehabilitation of children who have experienced crisis situations, using the example of the "Territory of Care" project implemented in the Altai Krai. The article analyzes interdisciplinary approaches that combine sociological and psychological concepts: E. Goffman's stigma theory, N. Luhmann's social systems theory, P. Berger and T. Luckmann's social constructivism, G. Becker and S. Wendell's theory of deviations, and others. These theoretical frameworks allow one to view crisis not only as an individual phenomenon but also as a social one, affecting the child's relationship system with the surrounding world. The article discusses approaches to social and psychological rehabilitation of children in crisis, age and socio-psychological features of children in crisis, emphasizing the importance of timely support. Methods of group, individual, art-therapeutic, and training work used in the social and psychological rehabilitation program are presented, along with the methodology and results of diagnosing project participants. The "Territory of Care" project demonstrated the effectiveness of the implemented practices within the framework of a comprehensive approach to social and psychological rehabilitation of children in crisis situations. The combination of different forms and methods of work in the project created a safe and supportive environment for the target group of children and adolescents. The results of the study confirm the positive dynamics of the participants' condition. The project is viewed as a successful rehabilitation model that combines social and psychological aspects, aimed at creating conditions for personal growth, social integration, and the prevention of deviant behavior in children in crisis. The project was included in the registry of best practices for assisting children and families with children, implemented in 2024 under the programs of the Fund for Supporting Children in Difficult Life Situations.

Religion has always occupied a certain place in the system of social existence, reflecting the degree of development of a particular society. An assessment of the role of religion in the lives of modern individuals makes it possible to identify its true spiritual and social potential, which is often mundane and destroyed by everyday life. The subject of the study, therefore, is the role of religion in the life of modern man. It is emphasized that the basis of the sociological understanding of religion should be its functional understanding, the appeal to religion as a link integrating, adapting individuals, forming moral attitudes. This approach is based on the views of well-known functionalist sociologists: E. Durkheim, B. Malinovsky, P. Berger, T. Lukman. However, it is important to understand that in different societies and at certain stages of historical development, religion performs different functions, that is, attempts at functional understanding should not be reduced to universalism. In addition, in certain situations, religion can become a factor of disintegration, thus manifesting its dysfunction. The empirical part of the study is a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods that allow us to form a holistic view and draw reliable conclusions. The article presents the results of a survey and in-depth interviews with Barnaul residents. The novelty of the research consists in a comprehensive analysis that affects, firstly, all available socio-demographic groups of the population, and, secondly, allows us to address not only individual facts of religious experience of individuals, but also to evaluate them in aggregate. The need to study religion is emphasized specifically in the environment of a modern city, characterized by the alienation of individuals, the loss of traditional values and the commercialization of various types of activities. It is noted that religion is assessed by the majority of respondents as a positive social phenomenon capable of regulating the behavior of individuals and helping in difficult and crisis situations. Despite all the positive assessments and the high proportion of adherence to certain faiths among Barnaul residents, various types of traditional religious practices are not very popular among the population, which in most cases is explained by the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, established traditions and lifestyle, and individual psychological characteristics. The data obtained may be of interest to sociologists, religious scholars, specialists in the field of state-confessional relations, government authorities and law enforcement officers.