Information and cognitive potential of the rural population of the Russian Federation: estimation and development prospects

The paper addresses the cognitive and informational potential of the rural population of the Russian Federation from the standpoint of the demands of the information society. Based on the analysis of the existing methods of assessing the informational and cognitive potentials, we suggest our own approach to their quantitative definition for the rural population of Russia. The basis of the study was the data of the Russian Monitoring of the Economic Situation and Health of the Population (RLMS-HSE) for 2005-2015. The paper also calculates and analyzes the parameters determining the level of information and cognitive potentials of the rural population of Russia. Analysis of the parameters characterizing the informational potential of the rural population shows the growing level of mastering of information and communication technologies by rural residents, as well as the level of application of these innovative forms for professional activities, education and advice and information purposes. The factors characterizing the cognitive potential of the rural population demonstrate a somewhat different dynamics. There is a clear trend of decrease in the share of those rural residents who wish to continue their education. The gradual growth of the interest in raising the level of their education and the desire to invest in their educational potential in 20112013 was replaced by a sharp fall in 2014-2015. It is noted that the growth of the index characterizing the information potential of the rural population is accompanied by a decrease in the cognitive potential index. Being clearly able and ready to perceive the innovations of the information society, the rural population of the Russian Federation demonstrates a reduced need for increased knowledge. This contradictory fact indicates a decrease in the quality of the human potential of the Russian countryside and may serve a serious barrier on the way to sustainable development of rural areas.