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UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL ROLES AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR A PERSONВ’S SAFETY

T. Budyakova

Abstract

In the study we addressed the problem of personal safety and for this purpose used a social role approach and a psychological analysis of criminal cases as a research method. The method was based on the following social role criteria: a) the level of the criminalВ’s or victimВ’s knowledge of the social role; b) the degree to which they have mastered role-play; c) the knowledge of not only oneВ’s own action scenario in the social role dyad but also of that of oneВ’s counter partner; d) an ability to understand the differences in how an actual role performer and his/her counter partner see the role action scenario. It was found that the absence of adequate social role notions about oneВ’s counter partnerВ’s role in the social role dyad is one of the major reasons for criminal conflicts, especially among social groups for which society has not developed acceptable social and role rules and regulations. In particular, it is shown that homeless people and beggars become criminals in situations when the victim violates specific interaction rules which are peculiar to this category of people. In this case, the victim, as a rule, is not familiar with these rules or has distorted or superficial ideas about them.

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