Sibling position and extremist attitudes of youth

Introduction. This paper focuses on the empirical study of correlation between the sibling position and the extremist attitudes of young people. The purpose of this study is to analyze the specifics extremist attitudes of young men and women depending on their birth order. Materials and Methods. The participants of the study were 377 subjects (aged between 14 and 30 years, 176 male subjects and 201 female subjects). 100 participants are the only children, 117 ones are the first-borns, 53 ones are middle children and 106 are later-borns. Extremist attitudes of the subjects were identified using K.V. Zlokazov’s methodology of studying extremist-destructive attitudes. This technique allows us to reveal the level of authoritarianism, the manifestation of nationalistic, fanatical and xenophobic attitudes. According to E.A. Pain and S.A. Prostakov’s methodology, the subjects were supposed to choose a political slogan characteristic of an extremist trend or refuse to choose. Results. As a result of the research, a correlation was found between extremist attitudes of youth and the sibling position in the family (both gender-specific and non-gender-specific). Young males in comparison with young females are characterized by a higher level of extremism (manifested in a higher level of nationalism and xenophobia), more often identify themselves with one or another political movement. The only children in the family are characterized by a higher level of nationalist attitudes, less adhering to left-wing views. A higher level of fanaticism is revealed in only children girls and later-borns boys in the family. A higher level of xenophobia was found in single boys in the family. Conclusions. A group of only children in the family of boys entered the risk group for the formation of extremist behavior. They have a much higher degree of xenophobic attitudes, and they often choose nationalist slogans in comparison with other groups of subjects. The results of this study can be taken into account in working with young people to prevent extremist behavior.