Associative experiment by A. Nazarov, R. Sokolov's procedure “Series of thematic associations” with stimulus “Contemporary Russian cultural elite” among students of Siberian Fedeal University

The article analyses associative experiment as one of the promising directions of social phenomena studies. The present research aims at gathering empirical data with the help of А. Nazarov-R. Sokolov's procedure “series of thematic associations” which renders it possible to determine particular aspects of comprehension of the concept of contemporary Russian cultural elite among young people and analyze verbal manifestation of the current idea of this phenomenon. Associative experiment was being worked out throughout 20th century and has strong traditions now. The word associate test was developed in the USA in the nineties of the last century and has been used by many a scientist in their diverse fields including researches at SibFU where it is an established tradition. As a result of our research we collected a hundred and three students' answers and reduced them to fourteen categories of associates. We developed a diagram of a collective semantic spectrum of thematic associations and a table of eleven major associates and analyzed individualities of the answers of students majoring in different subjects. Subsequently, the reflection of good and weak points of contemporary Russian cultural elite in students' minds' eye were revealed and the following conclusions can help with the correction of students' educational process, preparation of study guides and lectures and literal perception of the youth and student environment.