Partial characteristics of mental representations of ethnic identity among young people

The article examines the characteristics of mental representations of ethnic identity among young individuals with varying valences. In the course of the empirical study, three groups of young people with positive, hyper- and hypoethnic identity were identified (n = 116, Mag = 21). Based on the content analysis, it was found that the conceptual image of ethnic identity has its own specificity among young people of all three groups. It was revealed that young people with a positive ethnic identity are characterized by a sufficiently formed image of the concept due to the manifestation of the full component structure of ethnic identity in its composition, ordered semantic hierarchy and the prevalence of concept-improving specifics. The image of ethnic identity is distinguished by formed conceptual boundaries in young people with hyperethnic identity. It is characterized by an ordered semantic hierarchy and the predominance of productive markers, but the structural composition of the concept is limited to markers of cognitive and intentional orientation in the absence of markers of emotional orientation. Mental representations of young people with hypoethnic identity contain only markers of intentional orientation and are distinguished by a pronounced content of concept-impairing specifics, which suggests further research.