Modern research on subjective picture of life course in Russian psychology

This article presents the theoretical analysis of modern research on subjective picture of person's life course (SPLC). The definition, basic functions and characteristics of SPLC, its place in the structure of person's self-consciousness are described. SPLC is a mental image of person's life course, which contains the information about past, present and future major life events and their relationships. SPLC is closely related with such mental structures as self-conception, subjective picture of life world and subjective picture of self. SPLC is the dynamic formation, so it can be changed. That is the main reason for researcher's interest to this phenomenon. It is well known that even the experience of telling the story about own life make a therapeutic effect. The results of recent decade SPLC research are reviewed briefly. The classification of main SPLC parameters, based on the conducted theoretical research are offered for the first: 1) time parameters (the assessment of past, present and future lifetime, the qualitative characteristics of lifetime perception); 2) content parameters (event saturation, the significance and emotional assessment of life events, inter-events relationships, the type and sort of life events); 3) personal parameters (the locus of personal control, the level of subjectivity, meaningfulness of life). The author denoted the variety of psychodiagnostic methods for complex and partial SPLC investigation. The theoretical and practical significance for further SPLC research is substantiated.